Says it is pulling out of 6-nation talks on atomic issue
The Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea publicly admitted Thursday for the first time that it has nuclear weapons, and said it wouldn’t return to six-nation talks aimed at getting it to abandon its nuclear ambitions
Diplomats have said that North Korea has acknowledged having nuclear arms in private talks, but this is the first time the communist government has said so directly to the public.
“We had already taken the resolute action of pulling out of the (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) and have manufactured nukes for self-defense to cope with the Bush administration’s ever-more undisguised policy to isolate and stifle the DPRK,” the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
DPRK refers to the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
North Korea’s “nuclear weapons will remain (a) nuclear deterrent for self-defense under any circumstances,” the ministry said. “The present reality proves that only powerful strength can protect justice and truth.”
Since 2003, the United States, the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia have held three rounds of talks in Beijing aimed at persuading the North to abandon nuclear weapons development in return for economic and diplomatic rewards. But no significant progress has been made.
A fourth round scheduled for September was canceled when North Korea refused to attend, citing what it called a “hostile” U.S. policy.
Thursday’s statement came after President Bush started his second term last month by refraining from direct criticism of North Korea — raising hopes that the North would return to the stalled nuclear talks. But North Korea said it had little hope for improved ties during Bush’s second term office.
“We have wanted the six-party talks but we are compelled to suspend our participation in the talks for an indefinite period till we have recognized that there is justification for us to attend the talks,” the North said Thursday.
North Korea said it came to its decision because “the U.S. disclosed its attempt to topple the political system in the DPRK at any cost, threatening it with a nuclear stick.”
Still, North Korea said it retained its “principled stand to solve the issue through dialogue and negotiations and its ultimate goal to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula remain unchanged.”
I hope it goes better than with Iraq. We went in with guns blazing... and they didn't even have WMD's. Now a member of the so-called 'axis of evil' are letting their WMD's swing in the wind...
North Korea has been actively pursuing nuclear arms for a long time, aided by Pakistan, virtually laughing in the face of US. Now that it has acknowledged, nay, gloated that it has nuclear weapons, what is the US going to do? Invade? Threaten? No. The US will not do anything except keep pursuing multilateral talks (which I doubt will make much progress) unless one of the Pacific allies is directly hit, since the US has no strategic economic interest in N. Korea.
M.
"Every positive integer is one of Ramanujan's personal friends."—J. E. Littlewood.
If N. Korea isn't careful, the world will start looking at the U.S. as a good guy again. Then Bush's capital will increase even more. And then Iran? Same thing. I think the axis of evil is on the verge of peeing in the wind. This might spark a coalition. Hmm...
Please pardon my pseudo-intellectuaphilisophicalismysiticality.
Ron Ackerman said this in post #8 : How do you think NK's neighbors feel about now?
All of North Korea's neighbors (except China) have felt threatened by it for a long time. That is one of the biggest reasons S. Korea and Japan have allowed US to station sizable number of troops in their respective countries. However, now that North Korea has both the arms and the means, it has given China exceptional leverage, since China is the only state with any influence over N. Korea. Now China will use this leverage to advance it's own agendas and gain power and influence in the World.
M.
"Every positive integer is one of Ramanujan's personal friends."—J. E. Littlewood.
If US does not invlove itself in the important areas of the World, how would it maintain it's clout and it's dominant position as the World's sole superpower? The minute the US leaves it to China, Japan and Korea, it relinquishes influence in the Pacific.
M.
"Every positive integer is one of Ramanujan's personal friends."—J. E. Littlewood.
Well, either shy away from war or maintain your status. Which will it be? A nation without strategic and economic influence is weak. Why do you think China has always been so eager to advance it's regional influence?
M.
"Every positive integer is one of Ramanujan's personal friends."—J. E. Littlewood.
I say, let's wait for him (Kim Jong Ill) to use his new found power. Nobody wants us to do any premption. Only take action after the fact. After all, we don't have any intel that he actually has it now do we.
02-10-2005 07:16 AM
