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North Koreans in Santa Fe to Meet Gov. Richardson
UN ambassadors get special permission to leave New York
By Jason Farago
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Posted Aug 19, 09 4:38 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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Two North Korean diplomats at the UN are traveling to Santa Fe to meet with Bill Richardson, the New Mexico governor and former UN ambassador, reports CNN. The meeting is taking place at Pyongyang's request, according to the governor's office, and will focus on clean energy technology. Richardson has visited North Korea several times, most recently in 2007 to reclaim the remains of Korean War veterans.
While the governor will not be conveying any message from the Obama administration, the meeting is a further sign of thawing tensions after the North's recent nuclear provocations. Sanctions on North Korea limit its UN ambassadors from leaving New York, but the State Department granted a special request for them to travel to New Mexico for the meeting. Nevertheless, said a source at State, "If the North Koreans want to talk, they know who to talk to."