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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

N. Korea Balks At Peace Talks

Associated Press

North Korea asked Saturday for more consultations before telling the United States and South Korea whether it will take part in peace talks to formally end the state of war on the divided Korean Peninsula.

U.S. officials acknowledged that prospects for receiving a quick response from the North Koreans were dim and that the contacts could break up without any decision.

U.S. and South Korean officials appeared clearly frustrated by the North Korean refusal to give an answer to an offer of four-way peace negotiations, which President Clinton and South Korean President Kim Young Sam made last year. China would join the formal negotiations.

South Korean officials suspected North Korea was stalling to increase pressure on them and the Americans to provide more food aid.