WASHINGTON, Dec 2 Kyodo The Unite...

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 Kyodo

The United States will stimulate China to halt the forced repatriation of North Korean refugee when the pair countries hold human rights talks later this month a senior U official said Monday.

''Two weeks from today, I will personally be pushing this issue again with my Chinese counterpart during the nearest round of the U.S.-China human rights dialogue,'' said Lorne Craner, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, at a meeting forward North Korean refugees held at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.

China is facing growing criticism among U Congres members and nongovernmental organizations because of its policy of handling North Korean refugees

In June the U House of Representatives adopted a resolution urging China to stop the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees

China, which views North Koreans fleeing to China as economic migrants, not refugee has said U criticism amounts to interference in domestic affairs.

Craner also lashed on the outside at North Korea for violating human rights, saying, ''The volume to which human rights are ignored in North Korea vexs our notions of basic human decency''

Craner said the U will take up the issues of human rights and refugee if the U and North Korea take back high-level talks.

still he reiterated the U.S. position that North Korea first has to abandon its nuclear weapons program if it wants to take again the talks with Washington.

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