N.Korea Says Talks Useless Without U.S. Concessions
29.04.2003 [14:59]
North Korea said on Tuesday more U.S.-North Korea talks would be pointless if Washington insisted Pyongyang disarm and rejected the North's offer to scrap its atomic arms in return for concessions.
U.S. officials in Washington and Western diplomats in Beijing said on Monday North Korea had offered at talks in China last week to give up its nuclear weapons and missile exports but wanted a shopping list of concessions in return.
A senior U.S. official called those concessions unacceptable.
"We're not going to pay for elimination of nuclear weapons programs that never should have been there in the first place," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher in Washington.
South Korean financial markets interpreted the North Korean offer as a step forward. Shares ended up five percent. But, predictably, the U.S. response did not go down well in Pyongyang.
"It is quite obvious that as long as the U.S. maintains such a stand, the two sides will only waste time no matter how frequently they negotiate," said Minju Joson, a newspaper published by the North Korean cabinet.
North Korea's KCNA news agency went further, saying Washington's stance that it will not "reward" Pyongyang was a mark of ignorance among Bush administration policymakers.
"This cannot be construed otherwise than ridiculous jargons of political imbeciles," it said.
The State Department said on Monday North Korea told U.S. officials in Beijing during three days of talks last week, that included China, that Pyongyang had nuclear arms. North Korea has yet to repeat this publicly.
NORTH EXPECTS CONCESSIONS
Western diplomats briefed by a Chinese Foreign Ministry official in Beijing said North Korea had warned of "extraordinary measures" if the United States played its "usual tricks."
Asked about the briefing, Secretary of State Colin Powell said: "They did put forward a plan that would ultimately deal with their nuclear capability and their missile activities but they of course expect something considerable in return."
A senior U.S. official said the concessions included oil, energy, economic exchanges and normal relations.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan confirmed in parliament on Tuesday North Korea had offered to resolve the nuclear crisis on condition Washington guarantees the survival of Pyongyang's communist system. He did not comment on the offer.
Yoon and Unification Ministry officials were briefing foreign diplomats. They will be keen to gauge whether Seoul leans toward Beijing's assessment of the outcome or Washington's. China now faces its own dilemma -- whether to back long-time ally North Korea or the U.S. line on dismantling Pyongyang's arsenal.
South Korea has a high-stakes interest in a peaceful solution to the crisis as it borders the heavily armed communist North.
South Korean National Security Adviser Ra Jong-yil left for Washington on Tuesday to prepare for President Roh Moo-hyun's visit next month. Ra told reporters: "We clearly state we will not accept a nuclearized North Korea."
South and North Korea were holding a third day of talks in Pyongyang and still differed over whether to mention the crisis in a joint statement, pool media reports from Pyongyang said.
German activist Nobert Vollertsen, who worked as a doctor in the North before being expelled, said in an email food shortages were getting worse in North Korea. He said high-ranking party members were eager to defect. Vollertsen is well connected in the North but gave no sources for his information.
Reuters
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