US: WASHINGTON: PRESIDENT CLINTON APPEALS TO NORTH KOREA скачать в хорошем качестве

US: WASHINGTON: PRESIDENT CLINTON APPEALS TO NORTH KOREA

(28 Dec 1994) Eng/Nat US President Bill Clinton has appealed to the North Korean government for the prompt release of American pilot Bobby Hall. He made the comment on Wednesday as a veteran U.S. diplomat crossed over the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea to seek the release of the airman. President Clinton was at the Rose Garden in Washington on Wednesday to announce his choice for agriculture secretary. He used the occasion to stress publicly that Washington feels North Korea's detention of US airman Bobby Hall is unjustified. SOUNDBITE: Let me say first of all that we have made it clear to the North Koreans that we want the prompt release of Airman Hall and there is no reason for his detention. He was on a routine training mission, that's all. They have made an error - which we have acknowledged - and drifted into North Korean airspace. We now have an administration official in North Korea, as you know, and talks are ongoing and I think it would be premature to say anything else at this time. Let's give our people a chance to do their work and see what happens. SUPER CAPTION: US President Bill Clinton Later, the State Department reiterated Clinton's stand. SOUNDBITE: The deadline is now. As the president said earlier today, he should not be detained any longer and we are seeking his immediate release. SUPER CAPTION: Mike McCurry, State Department Spokesman Hall was captured and his fellow pilot, David Hilemon, was killed when their helicopter came down on the North Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas on December 17. Hilemon's body has been repatriated, but Hall is still being detained. The United States says Hall and Hilemon took off on a routine reconnaissance flight from Camp Page, America's top secret airbase, 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of the Demilitarized Zone. Pentagon officials believe the pair flew off course and either crashed or were shot down. North Korea has accused the US of espionage and says airman Hall is not cooperating with their investigation. A senior diplomat is currently in North Korea trying to negotiate Hall's release. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...