Fed: Aust to help in any North Korea verification process

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Fed: Aust to help in any North Korea verification process

By Rob Taylor, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

CANBERRA, Aug 12 AAP - Australia will help the US verify any agreement reached forNorth Korea to curtail its nuclear weapons program, US Deputy Secretary of State RichardArmitage said today.

Mr Armitage, visiting Australia for talks with Prime Minister John Howard and seniorministers, said six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program would beginin Beijing on August 27.

The breakthrough follows months of tension on the Korean peninsula since the US saidthe reclusive Stalinist state was pursuing a secret nuclear arms program.

Earlier this month, North Korea and the US agreed to the six-country talks aimed atending the standoff, with China, Japan, Russia and South Korea also taking part.

Mr Armitage was cautious on whether the talks would end regional tensions.

"It's not a matter of confidence or lack of confidence," he told ABC television.

"We're having the talks, we'll do our best, we'll be businesslike, we'll be serious and sincere.

"Beyond that I'm not going to make any speculation - it would be foolhardy."

Mr Armitage said if the talks did result in a breakthrough, Australian nuclear inspectorswould take part following his talks today in Canberra.

"Any verification regime would have to be quite intrusive obviously, because there'sa lack of faith and North Korean willingness to abide by their agreements," he said.

"I've had discussions with our Australian friends even during this trip about takingadvantage of their experience in verification.

"They have made an offer and I have accepted it."

He also said top envoy John Bolton, who recently infuriated North Korea when he calledits leader Kim Jong-Il a "tyrannical dictator", would not take part in the six-nationtalks.

"The US government will make the decision on who will participate in the upcoming six-waytalks and Mr Bolton was not scheduled and will not be participating in these talks," MrArmitage said.

But he said the comments, in which Mr Bolton said life in North Korea was a hellishnightmare for its citizens, reflected a view held by many in Washington.

North Korea said earlier this month it would not deal with Mr Bolton, the US Undersecretaryof State for Arms Control and International Security.

But Pyongyang did not abandon its agreement to participate in the talks, instead blastingMr Bolton as human scum.

China said earlier this week there were still serious gaps between the two sides.

But analysts have interpreted the fact that Pyongyang has not pulled out of the talksdespite Mr Bolton's criticism as a sign the North has few options left.

AAP rft/apm/jlw

KEYWORD: KOREA ARMITAGE