LOC10:04
07:04 GMT
TOKYO, Oct 29 (KUNA) -- Talks to arrange a high-level meeting between the
American-led United Nations Command (UNC) and North Korea on the sinking of a
South Korean warship have broken down from the North's refusal, Seoul's Yonhap
News Agency reported Friday, citing a UNC official.
Colonel-level officers from the two sides had met earlier this week for the
seventh time since mid-July to set up a general-grade officers' meeting to
discuss the March sinking of the Cheonan but failed to make any progress.
"Colonel-level talks with North Korea eventually broke down as the North's
side refused to hold the general-level talks at the seventh round of meetings
on Wednesday," Yonhap quoted the UNC official as saying. "No other meetings
have been scheduled," he added.
The UNC, which supervises an armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War,
confirmed that the North's military "declined to hold General Officer Talks
and continued to refuse to accept the procedure laid out in the Armistice
Agreement for conducting a joint investigation."
A South Korea-led multinational investigation team concluded in May that
the Cheonan corvette was torpedoed by a North Korean submarine, killing 46
sailors. The North denies any involvement and insists Seoul allow Pyongyang's
investigators to come and verify the results of the probe. South Korea has
rejected the North's demand, saying the sinking should be handled under the
framework of the armistice.
The UNC is led by the top US commander in the South. The US has some 28,500
troops stationed in South Korea, a legacy of the Korean War. (end)
mk.gta
KUNA 291004 Oct 10NNNN