Fourth Round of Six-Party Talks: 2nd Morning Departure from St. Regis Hotel

A/S HILL: Well, the schedule is I’ve got a meeting right now with the Japanese delegation and then I’ll be going out to the talks. I’ll be talking with the Chinese about their text -- I think a very important text because it’s a text that’s really designed to narrow the differences and maybe, maybe even get to the point where we can really agree on something. So, we’ll see, we’ll see. It’s a very important day. We haven’t tended to do well when it rains so I’m a little worried about the weather but we’ll see.

QUESTION: Will there be a final text?

A/S HILL: I don’t know, I don’t know. We thought it was a pretty good text. We had some thoughts on it, but I think everyone knows where the red lines are. It should be a final text but in this business it’s never over until it’s over, to coin a phrase.

QUESTION: How is the response from Washington?

A/S HILL: We’re in pretty good shape. First of all there’s a real appreciation for the work the Chinese have put into this. It’s not easy. It’s not as if the six parties met having very close opinions about everything. We’ve had some pretty seriously divergent opinions about things. It’s taken a long time. It took several days just talking about the issues. If you recall, we went to written text over the weekend. It was not easy, a lot of different opinions, as a consequence there’s been a lot of different texts.

It’s been a very long process and those of us involved in it would kind of like to go home. But I think we are all very struck by the importance of this, the importance to all of us in getting this done, especially I would say the importance to the D.P.R.K. There’s a very real sense that the D.P.R.K. does, indeed, stand to prosper. They can look forward to a brighter future. They can look forward to a more secure future, a more prosperous future, but they can’t do that with nuclear weapons. They’ve got to get off that.

So, I think it’s a pretty good package. It’s really a statement of principles that guides the way forward, which is to say that it doesn’t represent the negotiated document. It’s not the final document. That would have to come at a subsequent negotiation. But, as a set of principles, a set of goals, it guides the future conversation so that everyone understands what’s the basis, what’s the basic building material for a negotiated settlement when the lawyers sit down and try to write that. So a lot of work has been done but we won’t really know until we get an agreement on the text to determine how successful we’ve been.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary is it time for North Korea to make a decision, is it time for them?

A/S HILL: Well I think it’s a very, very important time for them. You know it’s very clear where a better future for them lies, and a more secure future I might add. So, you know, I hope they’re in the right direction for that. It’s something they’re going to decide on their own. They’re not going to listen to pressure from me. It’s a decision they have to make for their own benefits. I know how I would make it, but it’s going to have to be up to them. Well, thank you very much. It’s going to be a very busy day so maybe I will see you all later on. So, thank you.