By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
U.S. President George W. Bush would likely meet with North Korean Kim Jong-il if the Stalinist state shows its willingness to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, even if its nuclear program is not fully dismantled, a local report said Monday, quoting an unidentified U.S. diplomat.
The Washington source, quoted by the Kyunghyang Shinmun, said the Bush-Kim summit would be ``doable'' before the end of the Bush administration if Pyongyang is serious about the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
The source said U.S.-North Korea summit talks could take place in the North Korean capital Pyongyang.
The report came amid growing hopes about the North's nuclear disarmament under the six-party framework involving the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.
Denuclearization has gained momentum following diplomatic normalization talks between the United States and North Korea in Geneva early this month.
In the two days of talks, the North Korean nuclear envoy, Kim Gye-gwan, said his country will disable its atomic programs by the end of the year in return for political and economic compensation.
This was the first timeline for a process long sought by negotiators from the six nations since Pyongyang agreed in February to disable its nuclear program in exchange for a series of economic and diplomatic incentives from the participating countries at the six-way talks.
Optimism for future nuclear talks also grew high when Bush reiterated his willingness to sign a peace treaty with North Korea if it goes through with denuclearization, during a meeting with President Roh Moo-hyun last Friday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Australia.
In ``another significant step,'' North Korea has invited nuclear experts from the United States, China and Russia to inspect its nuclear facilities next week.
The warming relations between the United States and North Korea are mirrored in informal, cultural or academic exchanges between the sides.
For instance, the New York Philharmonic has been invited to play in North Korea. North Korean taekwondo team is also scheduled to perform in the United States next month.
Three North Korean boxers will also participate in an international boxing tournament in Chigago next month.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Civilian Research and Development Foundation are said to have held seminars on scientific cooperation with North Korea in recent months.