NKorea will 'never' de-nuke

2004-05-14 09:25

Beijing - North Korea vowed on Friday to never accept US demands for a complete dismantling of its nuclear programmes, calling it a humiliating measure that can only be imposed on a country defeated in a war.

In a statement issued outside the North Korean embassy in Beijing, foreign ministry official Park Myong-kuk expressed frustration at the US hard-line stance but pledged to push on with six-nation talks in the Chinese capital.

"We had expected the US to talk differently about what kind of reciprocal measures the US and related countries will take if we freeze our nuclear programme," said Park, a member of the North's delegation at the working group meeting, which entered its third day Friday.

"But the US repeated the same position as at the previous talks that discussions (on compensation) are possible only when we commit ourselves to CVID (complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement)."

He called the US demand "the kind of humiliating measure that can only be imposed on a country defeated in a war".

Deadlocked

The row over North Korea's nuclear programme has been deadlocked since October 2002, when Washington said the Stalinist state had broken a 1994 nuclear freeze by launching a secret weapons drive.

The early morning statement, reported by South Korean media, came after China warned on Thursday that "major" differences remain on solving the 19-month-old standoff.

Prior to the talks, Pyongyang had reiterated a demand that it be rewarded, politically and economically, for giving up its nuclear programme, while the US government had ruled out any immediate pay-off.

A key sticking point is whether North Korea should give up its entire nuclear programme, or only the military part.

Washington did not have an immediate response to the North Korean statement, but reiterated its strict position on Friday.

"With respect to this issue, our policy is clear. The US objective remains the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear programme," a US embassy spokeswoman said, citing a statement from Washington.

No closing date has been set for the working-level talks, which are the first since a second round of high-level six-party meetings ended inconclusively in Beijing in late February.

The talks are aimed at setting up a date for the third round of six-party talks, expected before the end of June.

Also taking part in the negotiations in Beijing is China, South Korea, Russia and Japan.

It has been reported that North Korea has proposed a peace treaty to be signed by the South, North and the United States as a means to resolve the nuclear issue, but the spokesperson said the US side, while aware of the reports, had not received any other information.

"The North has not raised this issue during the working group talks in Beijing," she added.

- AFP