News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: NK to Escalate Searches

Date: December 16, 2000

"North Korea Agree to Escalate MIA Searches

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - The United States and North Korea (news - web sites) have agreed to expand operations to recover the remains of American troops listed as missing from the Korean War, a U.S. official said on Saturday.

The agreement was reached after four days of talks between U.S. and North Korean officials in Kuala Lumpur to set next year's schedule to search for the remains of more than 8,100 American troops still listed as missing in action from the 1950-53 war.

``For next year, we agreed that we will significantly escalate the operations,'' Alan Liotta, the U.S. chief negotiator, told a news conference.

He said under the 2001 agreement, the U.S component of the joint teams would be expanded to 28 from 20 this year and the length of each operation would be increased to 32 days from 26.

It was also agreed that the areas around the Chosin Reservoir be included in the operations apart from the current areas in Unsan and Kujang counties.

Liotta said 10 operations would be conducted in the three areas, where the remains of more than 950 American troops were believed to be located, between April and November.

Five joint recovery operations this year have found 65 sets of suspected remains of U.S. servicemen, which have been sent to the United States for identification.

Forty-two sets of remains were found between 1996 and 1999, of which five have been positively identified and a further 10 are in the final stages of verification.

Liotta said that although there were some differences, the talks went smoothly.

``We have to work out different approaches. But we are very pleased with the negotiations, both sides came to talk and see how we can escalate the operations,'' he said.

The agreement also establishes a procedure for a sharing of records and data related to witness interviews, potential burial locations and other information not previously made available from the North Koreans.

The United Nations (news - web sites) mandated a U.S.-led expeditionary force to help South Korea in the war, while Chinese troops helped North Korea. "