Hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee - Status of the Six-Party talks for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula

Interview

Hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee - Status of the Six-Party talks for the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula Witness

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SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-AK): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And Ambassador, I echo your comments of my colleagues here and my appreciation for all the work that you have done personally, the doggedness, the persistence that I think has led to a relatively optimistic at this committee hearing this morning. I appreciate it.

You spoke to how throughout the Six-Party Talks, the relationships have improved. For instance, you specifically cited China -- that as a consequence of the Six-Party Talks, our relationships are better and China's certainly within the region.

I want to ask specifically about Japan. You've mentioned your continued efforts to push to find resolve with the Japanese on the issue of the abductions, which we know are so significant. In speaking with some from Japan who are very, very concerned about the steps that the United States may take in removing North Korea from the state-sponsored list of terrorism, just the messaging that is going on. They're saying, our number one priority has not been resolved, the United States -- we're, we're a number one ally with you and you're kind of abandoning us on this issue.

What kind of -- we appreciate the tensions that are there, so I won't ask what kind of tensions exist, but how can we move through, in our effort to work through the steps that you have outlined in improving those relationships with North Korea, while not, at the same time, jeopardizing that very strong relationship that we have had for decades with Japan?

MR. HILL: Well, thank you, Senator, for asking me that because our relationship with Japan is so important to us, not just with respect to this Six-Party Agreement, but all over the world. We have a very, very special alliance relationship with the Japanese. And there is no question that this Six-Party process is a difficult one for the Japanese because it's a process very much geared toward denuclearization.

And what the Japanese are also concerned about is they are very concerned about missile proliferation because they are very much under the shadow of North Korean missile programs. And they're also very much concerned about this issue of the -- of the abductees. There are -- back in October, '02, the North Koreans provided some information. It was helpful, but not enough. And I think the Japanese deserve to hear more and to get closure, to understand what happened to their -- to their loved ones.

And so what I have assured the Japanese is I raise this issue whenever I talk to the North Koreans. I want to make it very clear to the North Koreans that this is an issue of central importance to us.

SEN. MURKOWSKI: What kind of response do you get back from them on it?

MR. HILL: Well, often they have -- first of all, they have begun to accept that this is a fundamentally important issue for us, and that we are not going to leave our ally in the lurch or somehow forget about this problem. So they have come to understand that.

But they have also understood my point that North Korea -- if North Korea is going to have successful future it needs to have a productive relationship with Japan. And the fact that it does not now is very much harmful to North Korea. So I have tried to acquaint them, with a, sort of, enlightened self-interest, that it is in their interest to normalize, to figure out a way through this.

I have gone through the cases of individuals in the -- who were abducted during this period of, you know, late '70s, early '80s. In fact, I even keep in my wallet the list of these people so that, in the event that the North Koreans would mention a specific person, I would be -- I would have it right on, right on hand.

I think it's been very important to stay in very close contact with the Japanese. I never make a trip to that region without first going to Tokyo, and to working with the Japanese. I think Prime Minister Fukuda said it best when he told our president, when he visited here in Washington, we have three concerns: we have these abduction concerns, missile concerns, nuclear concerns, and we need to work on all three. Our president said, absolutely and that we will not forget these abductees.

Now I know there are efforts to draw a strict and tight linkage between the abductee issue and the U.S. law with respect to state sponsors of terrorism. And we understand the Japanese concerns on this. We have made very clear that we will not lift, until we have really had very close consultations with the Japanese government on this, and until the North Koreans move on some of the issues on denuclearization.

I'm not going to go so far as to make these hard linkages. I don't think it's in our country's interests, or Japan's interests, or anyone's interest to make these hard linkages in advance. But what we have made very clear is we will work very closely with Japan; we will not have surprises between us; and we will work in a way that we will come to of this with our relationship strengthened. We have no interest in strengthening a relationship with North Korea at the expense of a relationship with Japan -- none at all.

SEN. MURKOWSKI: Let me ask you quickly then, we recognize that you certainly have been working this issue for years now -- within North Korea we have officials that have been working the Six-Party Talks, and just the U.S. relationship for years, decades. We're going to be seeing a new administration here next year, and officials on our side have that tendency to turn over. What does this portend for the discussions as we move forward? How do we provide for the level of continuity that I think you have certainly put in place, and to ensure that we continue to see some positive progress?

MR. HILL: Well, first of all, I would -- I would hope that we can get this done so that a new administration would not have this problem --

SEN. MURKOWSKI: I agree -- (laughs).

MR. HILL: -- put on their lap. And my sense is, among both our parties, there's a strong desire that we get this done with the current administration. So I'm guided by that.

SEN. MURKOWSKI: How much of it, though, is the personal relationships that have been developed? It -- you know, that seems to have been a key in many of the advances that we have seen.

MR. HILL: Well, you know, there's no real secret to it. You just try to talk less than 50 percent of the time, and try to understand the other person's point of view, and try to put together something that works for both of you. And so, you know, I think there are a lot of people who can -- who can figure that out.

SEN. MURKOWSKI: I hope you're right. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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