Senior Director for Asian Affairs Jeff Bader said Obama will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, saying "I think it's predictable that the issue of North Korea, North-South relations and the North Korean nuclear program will feature in those talks."
11/2/2010
Obama to depart on 10-day Asia trip Friday
WASHINGTON, US President Barack Obama will start Friday a 10-day trip to Asia, which will include India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan, which will be his second trip to Asia since he took office in 2009.
Senior Director for Asian Affairs Jeff Bader told reporters in a special briefing in Asia, Obama has set as his goal to double US exports in the next five years, where much of that export growth is going to have come from Asia in order to achieve that.
"So that's where the future of American exports lies and the future of American jobs and prosperity lies," he affirmed.
Asked on whether Obama is going to discuss North-South Korea relations, Bader affirmed that this issue will be discussed in Obama's meetings in South Korea with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak; in addition, in meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
He added that both of those countries have been involved in the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear program.
He indicated that in Seoul, Obama will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, saying "I think it's predictable that the issue of North Korea, North-South relations and the North Korean nuclear program will feature in those talks."
The White House official stressed that in the wake of the sinking of the South Korean naval ship the Cheonan by a North Korean torpedo, it was critical for North Korea to address South Korean concerns about that attack and to give assurances to the South about its future intent, that it will not be aggressive and will not attack the South.
"If the North can give satisfactory assurances to the South, then we can contemplate moving back towards six-party talks, which would be hosted by the Chinese that would involve the Russians, the South Koreans, Japan, North Korea, the US," he remarked.
According to Bader, "what we would need for those talks to resume would be some sort of an indication, some clear indication from the North Koreans that they are sincere in seeking to get rid of their nuclear weapons program," saying "we want sincere and moving towards denuclearization." The official affirmed that "we are working very closely with the South Koreans, consulting intensively with them about North Korea and about policy towards North Korea." He noted that this is not an issue "which we're going to solve on our own.
"We need a concerted approach by our allies South Korea and Japan, and the other regional powers, China and Russia, to persuade North Korea that it's in its interests, to dismantle its nuclear weapons program if it wants ever to enjoy the benefits of membership in the international community." Bader affirmed that "right now, North Korea is the most sanctioned country in the world," saying it is going to remain the case until and unless it takes convincing steps towards dismantling its nuclear weapons program.
"This is the number one security issue in Northeast Asia. We are very closely aligned with the South Koreans and Japanese on this issue, and we'll be talking to the Chinese," he remarked.
Bader also pointed out that "exchange rates, particularly the Chinese exchange rate, will be something we'll be talking about at all the stops."
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