Secret Meeting Between U.S. and N. Koreans Last Month

The Asahi Newspaper reported on Thursday that nuclear specialists from North Korea and the U.S. secretly met at the North Korean Embassy in Berlin, Germany last month and discussed plans for nuclear inspections.

The newspaper quoted media sources from the two countries that the main purpose of the meeting was to discuss methods of inspections if North Korea gave up its uranium enrichment plans; however, only differences in opinion were tossed about.

The both parties discussed plans for nuclear inspections last October. However, while North Korea insisted on inspectors from the U.S., there was insistence on the part of the Americans that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conduct the inspections.

It was found that three U.S. representatives, including a former government official, a National Research Center scientist, and a non-government nuclear specialist, and four North Koreans including an officer from the Atomic Energy Department, a Foreign Ministry officer, and two Berlin Embassy employees.

The newspaper stated that the U.S. representatives stood their ground in refusing government-level negotiations with North Korea unless the country halted its nuclear weapon`s development plan. An officer from the U.S. State Department said details of this contact was reported to Secretary of State Collin Powell, who had visited Korea, China, and Japan on the 21st of last month.

In the meantime, leaders of the Democratic Party including Senate Leader Thomas Daschle (South Dakota) had a press conference along with policy advisers on Wednesday and urged that the Bush Administration begin direct talks with North Korea as soon as possible.

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