Washington's special representative to North Korea has arrived in the South Korean capital ahead of talks in Pyongyang. The envoy will try to bring the Kim Jong Il government back to six-nation talks on giving up its nuclear weapons, which North Korea abandoned.
解决北韩问题的美国特别代表博茨沃斯抵达韩国首都首尔，准备到平壤参加谈判。博茨沃斯会尽力让金正日政府回到讨论放弃其核武器问题的六方会谈。北韩曾中途拒绝继续参加会谈。
Ambassador Stephen Bosworth met Monday with South Korea's six-party talks negotiator Wi Sung-lac ahead of his trip to North Korea on Tuesday.
美国特使博茨沃斯抵达首尔后，星期一会见了韩国六方会谈首席谈判代表魏圣洛。博茨沃斯星期二将前往北韩。
In Pyongyang, Bosworth will try to persuade North Korea to return to nuclear disarmament talks with South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
在那里，博茨沃斯将努力说服北韩重返六方会谈，讨论北韩核项目问题。除了北韩，还有韩国、美国、中国、日本和俄罗斯参加六方会谈。
North Korea said earlier this year it would never to return to those negotiations. However, the country's leader, Kim Jong Il, reportedly told China's premier in October that depending on how talks with Bosworth go, he might reconsider.
今年早些时候，北韩曾表示，不会重返六方会谈了。但是，有报道说，北韩领导人金正日今年十月在平壤对中国总理温家宝说，一切要看同博茨沃斯会谈进展如何，如果顺利，金正日也许会重新考虑这个决定。
There is concern in Seoul that Pyongyang's insistence on holding bilateral talks with Washington could drive a wedge between the U.S. and South Korea. But some foreign policy analysts say there is little to fear.
在首尔，有人担心，平壤坚持要同华盛顿举行双边会谈，这可能在美国和韩国之间种下不和的种子。但是，也有外交政策分析人士说，这点，不必担心。
Lho Kyungsoo lectures in international politics at Seoul National University.
首尔国立大学国际政治学者罗京洙(音)说：
"I don't think there is any worry Ambassador Bosworth's visit to North Korea will somehow detract from our efforts," Lho said. "Whoever makes steps forward with North Korea is not as important as making a difference with North Korea. And I don't think our interests are any different from the American ones in terms of North Korea."
“我认为，不会有什么人会担心，博茨沃斯特使访问北韩，和我们韩国的工作有所偏离和脱节。同北韩握手言欢，不会比同北韩划清界限更为重要。在这个问题上，不管谁都是一样的。罗京洙说，在北韩问题上，韩国的利益同美国的利益是一致的。”
After walking away from the six-party talks, North Korea tested its second nuclear device. The United Nations Security Council later imposed sanctions on Pyongyang, which have impeded its efforts to sell conventional weapons abroad, a major source of income for the cash-strapped nation. Since then, North Korea has cooled its hostile rhetoric and offered to engage with the United States and South Korea.
北韩退出六方会谈后，发射了第二枚核装置。联合国安理会随后对平壤实行了制裁，不许北韩继续在国际上出售常规武器。而出售常规武器，正是缺少现金的北韩政权主要的收入来源。从那以后，北韩缓和了敌对的声调，主动提出要同美国和韩国接触。
Some foreign policy experts in South Korea think the sanctions have forced Pyongyang to consider coming back to the negotiating table.
在韩国，有些外交政策分析人士认为，正是这种制裁，迫使平壤重新考虑要回到谈判桌来。
Choi Kang is director of American studies at the Institute for Foreign Affairs and National Security in South Korea.
崔江是韩国外交事务和国家安全研究所美国项目主任。
"North Korea changed their behavior and words from mid-July, that's the point U.N. Security Council resolution 1874, to be implemented," Choi said. "Since then they actually launched a charm offensive to the outside, a peace offensive, I think they felt some pain coming from the implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolution."
他说：“北韩在七月中旬是一套说法，现在是另外一套说法。正是因为七月中旬的说法，联合国安理会才通过并开始执行1874号决议。从那以后，北韩改头换面，开始对外界发动微笑攻势，和平攻势。我认为，联合国安理会这个决议，如同一个巴掌，让北韩感到了疼痛。”
North Korea has indicated that it will not return to the six-party talks until the U.S. signs a peace agreement to officially end the Korean War. Fighting ended in 1953 with only a cease-fire agreement.
北韩一直表示，如果美国不签署和平协议，正式结束韩战，那么，北韩就不会重返六方会谈。
Washington says that Bosworth will not engage in peace talks during this visit. |