Morning Walkthrough With Journalists at Six-Party Talks

QUESTION: Mr. Hill, did the North Koreans indicate whether they were willing to talk today or not?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I think they have been in touch in recent hours to work through this. As I’ve said before, this is a Chinese-North Korean paperwork exercise. I’ll find out what is happening. I guess we’ll be here another day, and I don’t know about tomorrow. We’ll have to see.

QUESTION: Is it going to be a bilateral or a Six-Party --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I have a bilateral right now. Often, though, the Chinese have bilaterals with all participants, so there may be others as well. And as I understand, Mr. Sasae has to leave today, and the Russian representative, Ambassador Losyukov, also has to leave. So, we’ll see how much longer we’re here.

QUESTION: Have you heard about a plenary session today?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I’m sorry?

QUESTION: Do you have a schedule for today?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I haven’t heard about a plenary session. Normally we have one. I think we missed -- There was one day this week we did not have one, but normally we do.

QUESTION: Is there a time for the meeting of bilateral (inaudible) between the U.S. and North Korea and North Korea and Japan?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I last met with the North Koreans last night, around seven o’clock, I believe. So I don’t have a plan to meet with them this morning, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we had a meeting.

QUESTION: Is it your understanding that all $25 million will be moved to Beijing?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: It’s my understanding that all 25 -- that all the accounts will be moved and that it totals roughly $25 million. We have some assurance that the accounts will be used for correct purposes.

QUESTION: Have they arrived in Beijing already?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I am not aware of that, but again I have not been directly involved in this bank issue.

QUESTION: Ambassador Hill, if you could sort of help us to understand (inaudible). North Korea was inclined to stall the talks. As they say, this is a domestic policy. Everybody has the appearance of systematic frustration. They are so eager to start this humanitarian program. What are the official lines that they are giving you?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY: Well, the day I am able to explain to you North Korean thinking is the day I have been in this process too long. Give me a minute. Let me think. Let me think.

I think it has to do -- you really should ask them -- but I think it has to do with the notion that somehow this issue -- which was a 30-day issue, that is a resolving of this matter -- needs to be resolved. Now their definition of resolved, I guess, was they wanted to see all their money in their accounts. That is procedural, form-filling, issues like that are part of this. And so they want to have that done before they move on to 60-day actions. But I am not a good spokesman for the DPRK. You should ask them.

QUESTION: Have they said anything about maintaining these, or how they want to start it, or that kind of thing?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: They have made clear that they are prepared to see the money used properly -- used in humanitarian, educational purposes, etc. But the first step, obviously, they need to get the money transferred. They are working with the Chinese on that -- because even though Macao is a special district, it’s also a part of China.

PRESS ATTACHÉ: One more question.

QUESTION: Will you be going home if there is no meeting or progress today?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Well, you know, we were always here just to assess the working groups, assess the 60-day actions, assess the next phase. We’re not here to try to reach an agreement. I would have liked to do more work on those issues, but this issue of transferring the accounts has taken up a lot more time than anyone expected.

I think we do have more work to do. And whether we get it done in the next day or two here or have to reconvene at a later date, I can’t tell you at this point. I hope to get some answers in that regard with the Chinese.

So, if you will excuse me, I don’t want to be late for Vice Minister Wu.

Thank you very much.