N Korea Talks Over: Powell
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that three-way talks between North Korea, China and the United States had ended a day earlier than expected and warned Pyongyang that Washington would not respond to threats.
04/24/03 (News Limited ) Powell said the talks had "concluded" and that while US and Chinese officials might hold talks on Friday, the North Korean involvement was over. Three days of talks, from April 23 to 25 had been scheduled initially.
While announcing the end of the discussions, Powell delivered a strongly worded warning for North Korea not to make threats as Pyongyang ratcheted up its rhetoric.
"They should not leave this series of discussions that have been held in Beijing with the slightest impression that the United States and its partners and the nations in the region will be intimidated by bellicose statements or by threats or actions they think might get them more attention or might force us to make a concession that we would not otherwise make," he said.
"They would be very ill-advised to move in that direction," Powell said after a speech the US Asia-Pacific Council.
In the address, Powell said all three sides had presented "strong views" in the talks, which were called in an effort to ease the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula.
"Strong views were presented, the North Koreans presented their point of view strongly, the Chinese did as well, as did the United States," Powell said in a speech the US Asia-Pacific Council.
"The sides will return to their capitals and assess what they heard, analyse proposals that were put down by the parties and determine where we will go next," Powell said.
As the second day of talks wrapped up, Pyongyang said the situation on the peninsula was "so tense that a war may break out any moment due to the US moves." |
