Former U.S. President James Carter Ends N. Korea Visit
- Submitted by: manso
- International
- 08 / 28 / 2010
Pyongyang, 27 ago (Prensa Latina) Bilateral relations and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula were discussed by North Korean officials and former U.S.President James Carter during a visit that ended Friday.
Carter traveled to this capital on a mission associated with a U.S. citizen sentenced last April for illegally entering the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). That citizen's release was granted, according to the KCNA news agency.
The agenda of the former president (1977-81) included talks with Kim Yong Nam,president of the Presidium of Supreme People's Assembly, who reiterated his government's willingness to denuclearize the Peninsula and the resumption of talks, which also involved China, Russia, Japan and the United States.
Carter also met with Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun, and the deputy foreign minister for U.S. affairs, among other senior officials.
The visit became a useful opportunity to deepen the understanding between the two countries and build mutual trust, according to the KCNA.
A previous visit by U.S. officials was made regarding the case of that citizen,with whom the officials talked on three occasions, KCNA reported.
Aijalon Gomes, born on June 19, 1979 and resident in the city of Boston,Massachusetts, was sentenced to eight years of reformatory work and a fine of $700,000 after being tried for committing hostile acts and crossing the border into North Korea illegally on January 25.
In February, North Korean authorities released the U.S. citizen Robert Park, who committed the same crime in December 2009.
His case was preceded by those of U.S. journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who in March 2009 did the same through the Tumen River, also without authorization.
Both were found guilty of committing hostile actions and sentenced to 12 years in reformatory work. They were then allowed to leave after diplomatic efforts undertaken on their behalf by former President William Clinton.
Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/message/117374
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