Gov. Bill Richardson Hosts Luncheon for Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong ahead of North Korea visit

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Santa Fe, NM (Vocus/PRWeb ) April 2, 2007 -- Gov. Bill Richardson on Friday hosted a luncheon for the Chinese ambassador, Zhou Wenzhong, just weeks before the governor is scheduled to return to North Korea for another round of meetings.

Zhou and Richardson then had a brief, closed-door meeting before the luncheon, where the guests included some state officials and members of New Mexico's business and scientific communities.

Governor Richardon's office would not disclose what was discussed.

Governor Richardson _ a former congressman, energy secretary and U.S. ambassador who has been a diplomatic troubleshooter _ plans to travel to North Korea in early April for meetings with government officials.

He has a long relationship with North Korea, and visited most recently in October 2005. Last December, Governor Richardson met in Santa Fe with two diplomats from the North Korean mission to the United Nations.

North Korea pledged at international disarmament talks in Beijing last month to shut down its sole operating nuclear reactor by April 14, in exchange for energy aid and political concessions.

The U.S., China and North Korea have been trying to resolve the dispute.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/04/prweb515933.htm

[wake.up.america]

1. Bush is acting like a spoiled kid. He is out of the limelight , Demos are trying

to solve problems, gaining attention.

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2. not a word from the administration on this

looks like he's going to try and pull their fat from the fire

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3. South Korean envoy meets Gov. Richardson who will travel soon to Pyongyang

WASHINGTON, April 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's envoy to the U.S. met Monday with New Mexico's Gov. Bill Richardson, who will be visiting Pyongyang early this month, officials here said.

Amb. Lee Tae-shik flew to Albuquerque at the governor's invitation and made a speech at the local chamber of commerce on the just-concluded South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) and overall bilateral relations, according to the officials.

He and the governor met separately over lunch and exchanged views on North Korean nuclear issues and inter-Korean relations, they said.

Richardson is expected to travel to North Korea early this month, flying directly from New Mexico to Pyongyang on a U.S. military plane.

The visit is arranged while the six-party talks, a denuclearization forum involving South and North Korea, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan, have been complicated by a banking issue that has delayed progress in shutting down Pyongyang's nuclear facilities.

U.S. officials have said Richardson is not traveling as an envoy and that the trip is not directly related to the six-party talks. (of course, no credit from this administration for his efforts)

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070403/610000000020070403042714E9.html