Hillary Clinton Not Hopeful that North Korean Relations will Improve
Despite the successful release of two U.S. journalists and a personal visit between former President Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Il, Hillary does not expect relations with North Korea to improve.
Apparently, Bill Clinton's surprise visit to Pyongyang to see Kim Jong Il was limited in scope to discussions about the two U.S. journalists who had been imprisoned there for several months. Clinton was successful in securing the release of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, after receiving word from the journalists families that a visit from him might go far in securing their release.
The journalists were released and left on a chartered flight with Clinton that was scheduled to fly directly to Los Angeles from North Korea. The families of the journalists were waiting for their arrival in Los Angeles. And despite Hillary's statements that she isn't counting on a breakthrough in relations with North Korea, she had to acknowledge that this success is certainly not going to hurt things in the near term.
When asked about Bill Clinton's visit possibly impacting the current nuclear standoff, Hillary Clinton explained to the Today Show, "That wasn't the purpose of it, and it certainly is not anything we're counting on, because the Obama administration has to deal with North Korea going forward. But I hope that North Korea makes the right choice."
It has been reported that a senior White House official told reporters that former Vice President Al Gore joined the families of the two captive reporters in asking for Bill Clinton's help in the matter.
The journalists were released and left on a chartered flight with Clinton that was scheduled to fly directly to Los Angeles from North Korea. The families of the journalists were waiting for their arrival in Los Angeles. And despite Hillary's statements that she isn't counting on a breakthrough in relations with North Korea, she had to acknowledge that this success is certainly not going to hurt things in the near term.
When asked about Bill Clinton's visit possibly impacting the current nuclear standoff, Hillary Clinton explained to the Today Show, "That wasn't the purpose of it, and it certainly is not anything we're counting on, because the Obama administration has to deal with North Korea going forward. But I hope that North Korea makes the right choice."
It has been reported that a senior White House official told reporters that former Vice President Al Gore joined the families of the two captive reporters in asking for Bill Clinton's help in the matter.
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