 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
North Korea Prepared To Discuss Scrapping Nuke Program
Beijing (AFP) Feb 8, 2007 North Korea will discuss at six-nation talks here Thursday the prospect of dismantling its nuclear programme, but the outcome depends on the United States, the isolated nation's envoy said. Kim Kye-Gwan told reporters he was prepared to talk about recommitting to a deal made in the six-party forum in September 2005, in which North Korea agreed to scrap its nuclear programme in return for aid and security guarantees. "We have come here to discuss initial steps to take for the implementation of the September 19 joint statement," Kim told reporters after arriving in Beijing for the talks that are scheduled to begin later Thursday. "We are ready to discuss the initial steps, but whether the US will give up its hostile policy against us and come out for mutual peaceful co-existence will be the basis for our judgement." Kim said he was "neither optimistic nor pessimistic" about this week's round of talks. "There are still lots of contentious points yet to be settled. It depends on how we settle those contentious points. We'll have to wait and see," he said. Press reports have said North Korea may be willing to freeze its Yongbyon nuclear reactor and allow inspections from the International Atomic Energy Agency if it receives energy aid and other benefits. However North Korea has repeatedly insisted the issue of US financial sanctions imposed against it in 2005 for alleged counterfeiting and money laundering must also be resolved before making a deal on its nuclear programme. Kim refused to go into details on Thursday, saying only the onus was on the United States. "The US knows well what it should do," he said. The six-nation talks, which group host China with the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia, began in 2003 with the aim of convincing Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions. However North Korea conducted its first atomic test in October last year and the forum is now aiming to get North Korea to disarm.
Source: Agence France-Presse Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Military Space News at SpaceWar.com Learn about laser weapon technology at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Report That US And North Korea Signed Nuke Deal Memorandum Last Month In January
Tokyo (AFP) Feb 08, 2007The United States and North Korea have signed a memorandum under which Pyongyang has agreed to shut down a nuclear reactor in exchange for energy aid, a newspaper said Thursday. Washington's chief envoy to six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme, Christopher Hill, and North Korean counterpart Kim Kye Gwan signed the memorandum last month when they met in Berlin, the Asahi Shimbun said. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
