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To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (158888)	7/31/2003 11:29:31 AM
From: re3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 164684

U.S. Official Says N.Korea a 'Hellish Nightmare' 2 hours, 52 minutes ago Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo! By Martin Nesirky SEOUL (Reuters) - Top U.S. arms negotiator John Bolton described North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on Thursday as a tyrannical dictator who lived like royalty while jailing thousands and keeping many hungry in a "hellish nightmare." Reuters Photo AP Photo Slideshow: North Korea Nuclear Tensions In a tough speech guaranteed to provoke a blistering North Korean response, the undersecretary of state also said Kim was mistaken if he thought threats to proliferate nuclear weapons would weaken international resolve to halt his atomic ambitions. His comments come at a delicate time. Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites), whom Bolton advises on arms control, told Reuters in Washington on Wednesday there was a "distinct possibility" of talks this year. Japan's Kyodo news agency said the United States, China and North Korea (news - web sites) were discussing possible three-way talks in early September. Bolton declined comment on this at a news conference. But he said earlier the ball was in North Korea's court to respond to a U.S. proposal on the format of talks. There was an initial, inconclusive round of three-way talks in Beijing in April at which the North told the United States it had nuclear weapons and was seeking to make more. "The days of (North Korean) blackmail are over," Bolton said in a speech. "Kim Jong-il is dead wrong to think that developing nuclear weapons will improve his security." Bolton, widely seen as a hawk on North Korea, painted a stark picture of life for North Koreans with Kim at the helm. "LIVES LIKE ROYALTY" He mentioned Kim's name some 40 times, and described him as one of the world's "tyrannical rogue state leaders" who needed to introduce sweeping reforms or face economic ruin. "While he lives like royalty in Pyongyang, he keeps hundreds of thousands of his people locked in prison camps with millions more mired in abject poverty, scrounging the ground for food," he told the East Asia Institute. "For many in North Korea, life is a hellish nightmare." North Korea is edging toward nuclear talks but has recently repeated its demand Washington drop its "hostile policy." Bolton was asked what effect his speech might have on North Korea's decision on whether to restart nuclear talks. He replied: "It is important to tell the truth and I think that being able to state clearly the concerns we have about the regime in North Korea is important internationally in explaining why we are concerned both about its own support for terrorism and its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction." Bolton, who flies next to Tokyo, said the United States and its allies were trying to persuade North Korea to start multilateral talks on its atomic plans. North Korea wants direct talks with Washington, a line Bolton called a "one-note piano concerto." He said it would be highly irresponsible for Washington to hold one-to-one talks. He said other tracks should be pursued too, including the U.N. Security Council taking "appropriate and timely action." "Unfortunately, the Council is not playing the part it should," he said. "To date, virtually nothing has happened." Bolton, who visited China before Seoul, said 11 countries in the "Proliferation Security Initiative" would continue efforts to try to thwart illicit exports. "Kim Jong-il would be wise to consider diversifying his export base to something besides weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles," Bolton said. A U.S. combat team equipped with state-of-the-art fighting vehicles arrived in South Korea (news - web sites) on Thursday for training. The North's KCNA news agency said it was "a scout party to ignite another war of aggression."