U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2009)

U.S. Department of State

Remarks Upon Arrival in Japan

Kurt M. Campbell
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Narita Airport
Tokyo, Japan
October 11, 2009

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QUESTION: And Kim Jong-il expressed his willingness to resume Six-Party Talks in his talking with the Chinese prime minister. What do you think about that?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL: Well, we were pleased that the North Korean leadership underscored -- with some caveats that we're going to have to explore in greater detail -- but essentially reaffirmed the commitment to return to the Six-Party framework and to abide by some of the agreements that they have signed up for in the past. As you know, there is a very clear position on the part of the United States, in Japan, South Korea and China, that North Korea must accept its commitments made on several occasions to a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.

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