N Korea 'not a nuclear state'

2006-11-07 17:33

Seoul - The United States and South Korea on Tuesday said they would refuse to treat North Korea as a nuclear state, indicating a difficulty that lies ahead when disarmament talks resume with the reclusive communist nation.

Seoul and Washington also agreed during high-level talks on the need for "full and effective" implementation of a UN sanctions resolution against Pyongyang for conducing a nuclear test.

But they made no mention of a US initiative primarily aimed at the North that seeks to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by stopping ships suspected of trafficking.

The US has said it wants the South to increase its participation in the US-led proliferation security initiative in light of the North's October 9 nuclear test and UN security council sanctions banning the country's weapons trade, but so far Seoul has only sent observers to exercises under the programme.

The talks on Tuesday included Nicholas Burns, US undersecretary of state for political affairs, and Robert Joseph, US undersecretary of state for arms control and international security.

"Both parties shared the view that North Korea's nuclear test is a grave threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and beyond," the US and South Korea said in a statement after the talks.

"Both parties reaffirmed the position that North Korea will not be recognised as a nuclear weapon state."

- AP