WASHINGTON (CNN) - Two top North Korean diplomats were traveling to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to hold talks with Gov. Bill Richardson, the governor's spokesman said.
Kim Myong Gil and Taek Jong Ho, senior diplomats with the North Korean mission to the United Nations, left New York on Tuesday and are scheduled for a two-day meeting with Richardson, said a U.S. source with knowledge of the visit and a senior State Department official.
Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has traveled to North Korea several times in the past, most recently in April 2007 to secure the return of remains of U.S. soldiers killed during the Korean War.
The U.S. source with knowledge of the visit said that the North Koreans had asked Richardson for the meeting.
Richardson would listen to what the North Koreans had to say but would not do any negotiating, the source said.
From CNN Politics
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Good job Gov Richardson. I will pray your meeting goes well.
Richardson should have been Secretary of State. Hillary should have been on the Supreme Court.
Appeasement and the Apology strategy of the Obama Administration continue.
Finally Richardson is doing competent work.
Listening is sure better than name calling. Eight years of 'Cowboy Diplomacy' has really hurt us world wide. As it turned out, the real 'Axes of Evil' was really Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld.
This is good news for Richardson. He is running low on kickback money. Fortunately for him, international kickbacks are harder to trace than domestic ones.
Your doing a good job Bill,its a shame the Health Insurance Mafia saw you coming to get them and opened a first strike smear Campaign against you.You scared them badly.
More cooperation by the democrats on moving diplomacy and working together.
All Americans and people around the world should wish him well in any attempt to work productively with the North Koreans.
Why not, after all Obama and Congress have taken us halfway to being a Communist country. Maybe they can offer Bill some tips on how to complete the coup.
I'm glad to see a door is opened to discussions with North Korea. Mr. richardson is a respected individual by both parties.
I just don't understand this meeting. What is the purpose? What will it accomplish? Why Mr. Richardson? What does North Korea want?
Isn't Richardson on the verge of being indicted?
Maybe they just want to ask how they get the weapon system plans that Bill promised them.
Bill is a good man, and will represent us well.
Obama and the entire US Congress should take note North Korea wants dialogue with the west BUT it wants dialogue with people that it believe are trustworthy and who they KNOW and have met - Richardson was chosen simply because the North Koreans know him the best He has taken the time to travel to North Korea many many times -– If a few of our senior senators did the same thing, we would have far better communications with No Korea. Take a cue John Kerry; Take note Orin Hatch; wake up Senator Leahy, I think a plane full of senate and house folks from both parties ought to make a visit to the North simply to "break the ice" and open up some informal channels of communications
The quickest and most effective way to turn a rogue nation around from the dark side = open a dialogue based on mutual respect.