U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Daily Press Briefing
DPB # 85
Monday, June 18, 2001    1:10 P.M.
(On The Record Unless Otherwise Noted)

QUESTION:  What, if anything, do you guys make of the latest blast of 
invective from the North Koreans on refusing to - I thought the 
Secretary said there were no conditions for these talks, but the North 
Koreans seem to have misunderstood that and believe that there are, and 
they don't want to talk about conventional forces, saying that --

MR. BOUCHER:  We expect to have discussions with the North Koreans.  We 
have seen this statement.  At the same time, I would say we would expect 
our discussions to continue, but details are not set of the next round 
of talks.  Leave it at that.
QUESTION:  Okay.  Well, on the latest statement, it's just that, "We 
have seen that"?
MR. BOUCHER:  We have seen it, and we expect to have discussions with 
the North Koreans.
QUESTION:  Change of subject?  
QUESTION:  The North Koreans seem to be accusing the US of reneging on 
terms of the framework agreement about the reactor.  That seemed to be a 
thrust of their statement.
MR. BOUCHER:  Seemed to, yes.  (Laughter.)  I would think I would just 
say that we have met and will continue to meet our obligations under the 
Agreed Framework.  The President made that quite clear in his statement 
on the conclusion of the North Korea policy review.  We expect the North 
Koreans to meet their obligations under the Agreed Framework, including 
eventually the requirement to abide by IAEA safeguards as that moment 
approaches.
And we intend to continue to pursue this course.  We don't see any 
particular basis for compensation.