In North Korea, New Mexico governor Bill Richardson says situation is a 'tinderbox'

[Turborama]

Source: CNN International

By the CNN Wire Staff
December 18, 2010 -- Updated 0251 GMT (1051 HKT)

Pyongyang, North Korea (CNN) -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Saturday he is concerned about escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula, where he is urging "maximum" restraint ahead of scheduled military exercises.

"This is a tinderbox," he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, who is traveling with the governor in North Korea. "Right now, my objective is to say -- tamp things down."

=snip=

Richardson, a former U.N. ambassador, arrived in North Korea Thursday on a four-day trip he hopes will help to ease tensions in the region. "Let's cool things down. No response. Let the exercises take place," said Richardson, who added: "On all sides, I'm urging restraint."

He met with a vice minister of North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday and is scheduled to meet with North Korea's senior nuclear negotiator Kim Gye Gwan on Saturday. The governor is also expected to meet with a top military leader while in North Korea, though he did not say who.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/17/north.korea.richardson/index.html?hpt=T1

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New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is welcomed by an unidentified North Korean official upon his
arrival at the Pyongyang Airport

[harvey007]

1. Be safe, Bill

:patriot:

[Johnny Harpo]

2. I Think Bill May Be Our New Holbrook

n/t

[Rage for Order]

3. Time to pull the US troops off the peninsula

It's been 60 years; South Korea can stand on its own. Hopefully the Senate will bring up our defense treaty with SK for a vote. It's time to take another look at some of these relics from the Cold War.

[Lasher]

4. Damned right.

And that's just a start.

[davidthegnome]

5. I like RIchardson

Try to stay alive Bill.

[duhneece]

6. I woul d have no health ins w/o Bill

Gov Bill tried to insure ALL New Mexicans, but was unsuccessful; he did, however, get 44,000 of us on a public/private State Coverage Initiative. I hadn't had a mammogram, pap smear for almost 5 years until I got this amazing health insurance.

[Duppers]

7. China has to tell N. Korea to stfu.

China is not into a showy-type military power now. They have the world by the balls economically and the U.S. is their biggest golden goose. IF the 2 Koreas get into a fighting war, we will have to back the South.......leaving China to back the north? It cannot come to that.