These people are mad and don't know the meaning of the word hostile.
M
North Korea to formally declare it has nuclear weapons and conduct test: U.S.
Canadian Press
Thursday, August 28, 2003
WASHINGTON (AP) - North Korea plans to formally announce it possesses nuclear weapons and to carry out a nuclear test, a Bush administration official said Thursday.
The official said Pyongyang made the startling disclosure at the six-country summit on East Asian security currently underway in Beijing.
North Korea's deputy foreign minister, Kim Yong Il, also told the gathering that his country has the means to deliver nuclear weapons, an apparent reference to the North's highly developed missile program.
The comments cast a pall over Thursday's plenary session, which included representatives of the United States, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia, in addition to North Korea.
The official, who asked not to be identified, said James Kelly, the chief U.S. delegate at the talks, demanded that North Korea engage in a verifiable and permanent dismantling of its nuclear weapons programs. In return, the United States would provide security guarantees and economic benefits.
When Russia and Japan attempted to point out positive elements of the U.S. presentation, the North Korean delegate attacked them by name and said they were lying at the instruction of the United States, the official said.
According to the U.S. account, China's delegate appeared visibly angry over Kim's statement but responded in a moderate tone.
Kim said his country was sticking to its position because the United States clearly had no intention of abandoning its hostile policy toward Pyongyang, the U.S. official said.
canada.com |
