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Wednesday, November 21, 2007      East-Asia-Intel.com

Report: U.S. stations diplomat in North Korea to prepare for diplomatic ties

The United States has "permanently" stationed a diplomat in Pyongyang since mid-November to prepare for opening a liaison office in North Korea, South Korea's largest daily reported on November 26.

"A foreign service officer in charge of administrative affairs from the U.S. State Department has been staying at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang, using his room as both an office and accommodation," the Chosun Ilbo quoted a source in Washington as saying.

"This is the first time the United States has ever stationed a permanent diplomat in Pyongyang, and it suggests the possible normalization of relations between the two sides," the newspaper said.

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"He is mainly carrying out administrative liaison efforts between the United States and North Korea," the source added. The temporary office at the Koryo Hotel is reportedly equipped with telephone and fax lines and a computer with an Internet connection, the newspaper said.

The U.S. Embassy confirmed the stationing of an official, but said the official has been there to provide assistance to U.S. experts disabling the country's nuclear facilities.

"The official will return after the duty is fulfilled," an Embassy official said.

The newspaper said Washington plans to dispatch another permanent diplomat to Pyongyang soon to handle political affairs when North Korea completes the dismantling of its nuclear facilities. Washington has promised to establish diplomatic ties with Pyongyang if North Korea completely ends its nuclear weapons programs.

"Washington is expected to operate its temporary office in Pyongyang with a staff of two diplomats for the time being, with a view to upgrading the office to a regular liaison office or a permanent mission if North Korea clearly shows its intention to fully dismantle its nuclear programs," the newspaper reported.

A team of U.S. nuclear experts has been in North Korea since early November to disable nuclear facilities at North Korea's main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, 56 miles north of Pyongyang.

Under the 1994 Geneva accord that ended the first nuclear crisis, the United States and North Korea agreed to open liaison offices in Pyongyang and Washington. But that agreement was never realized largely due to the North's reluctance and tensions over its missiles and nuclear weapons.


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