North Korea seeks talks

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33493, 26 March 1974, Page 11

North Korea seeks talks

(N Z P A -Reuter —Copyright; HONG KONG, March 25. North Korea today called for talks with the United States on the conclusion of a bilateral peace accord to replace the existing military armistice agreement.

The call came from the Foreign Minister (Mr Ho Dam) in a report to the present session of the North Korean Supreme People’s Assembly in Pyongyang.

The proposal follows repeated calls by North Korea in recent ■ months for the withdrawal of Unitec Stat 3 troops stationed in South Korea under the United Nations command.

Mr Ho said, “To create prerequisites for the clear-

ance of tension in Korea, for the removal of external factors obstructive to the independent reunification of Korea, and for the independen' solution of the reunification issue between the Koreans, the question of signing a peace agreement trust be solved directly with the United States.” Mr Ho described the United States as “tie party concerned that has its troops stationed in South Korea, holds the whole supreme command of the armed forces, and signed the armistice agreement." The foreign Minister called for the inclusion of the following, points in the projected peace agreement:

Both sides shall pledge not to invade the other, and shall remove all the danger of direct armed conflict. Both sides shall discontinue arms reinforcement, and the arms race, and stop introducing any weapons, combat equipment, and War supplies into Korea. The berets of th? United Nations forces shall be taken off the foreign troops stationed in South Korea, and they shall all be withdrawn at the earliest possible date, along with their weapons. Korea under the United military operational base of any foreign country 'after the withdrawal of all foreign troops from South Korea.