Congressional report identifies issues for possible U.S.-N.K. talks

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. congressional report has identified a list of issues that could be covered in negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea if they were to take place.

The report by the Congressional Research Service was released early this month, before U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered to hold talks without preconditions and then walked back his remarks in the face of apparent pressure from the White House.

Tillerson's initial proposal had drawn intense scrutiny at a time of heightened tension over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, including its latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 29.

Washington previously demanded as preconditions a halt to North Korea's nuclear and missile testing, and a demonstration of its will to denuclearize.

"In the past, the United States has generally focused negotiations on halting progress on North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs," the report said. "However, several other contentious issues could be included in a prospective negotiation."

Those issues are North Korea's chemical and biological weapons programs, which many analysts say pose a growing threat; North Korea's conventional forces; and confidence-building measures, such as enhancing the transparency of both North Korea and U.S.-South Korea forces to reduce tensions on the peninsula.

The report also listed North Korea's human rights conditions, U.S. detainees in the North, international humanitarian aid, reunions of Korean-Americans and their North Korean relatives, the search for the remains of U.S. soldiers who died in the 1950-53 Korean War, as well as cultural, educational and sports exchanges.

The report, which was prepared for members of the U.S. Congress, detailed past U.S. negotiations with North Korea, from those that led to the 1994 Agreed Framework to the 2012 Leap Day Deal.

hague@yna.co.kr
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