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Bill Richardson offers North Korea help to broker talks on tensions

The US public and political activist said that he had visited North Korea eight times over the past year both in the official and unofficial capacities

SANTA FE (US State of New Mexico), February 28. /TASS/. Retired US official and diplomat Bill Richardson told TASS that he offered Pyongyang his negotiating arbitration services to help easing tensions regarding North Korea.

"I tried to get in touch with them recently after the ballistic missiles [tests]. And it hasn't happened yet," Richardson said in an interview with TASS.

"We've made a proposal to them for a visit, but we haven't heard back," he said in response to a question whether he still maintained active contact with North Korea.

The US public and political activist, who is the founder and the chair of the Richardson Center, told TASS that he had visited North Korea eight times over the past year both in the official and unofficial capacities.

"I've been to North Korea eight times, and I've worked with them on prisoner issues, food issues, nuclear issues. I've been there eight times, as an envoy, officially, unofficially," he said. "But what my organization is trying to do is reach out to the North Koreans on humanitarian issues, on remains of American soldiers from the Korean War, or issues relating to food and COVID."

Bill Richardson, 75, served as the 21st US Ambassador to the United Nations (1997-1998) and the US Secretary of Energy (1998-2001) while former US President Bill Clinton was in his office. In the years between 2003 and 2011 Richardson served as the governor of the US State of New Mexico.