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N Korea ready for nuke talks
28/11/2006 15:59 - (SA)
Beijing - North Korea is ready for six-nation talks on its nuclear programme after winning extra bargaining clout with its first atomic test, its top negotiator said on Tuesday as he met US and Chinese diplomats.
Kim Kye-Gwan headed straight into meetings here with Christopher Hill, his US counterpart at the six-nation forum, and chief Chinese negotiator Wu Dawei after flying into the Chinese capital early on Tuesday.
Diplomats from Japan and South Korea were also in Beijing with the aim of setting a firm date for the resumption of the six-party talks on dismantling Pyongyang's weapons program, following a hiatus of over one year.
Kim told reporters on arrival that North Korea was ready for the six-party talks to restart at "any time", although he indicated that Pyongyang would use its recent entry into the global nuclear club as leverage.
"We have taken defensive measures against sanctions imposed on us, through the nuclear experiment," Kim told reporters, referring to his nation's first ever atomic weapons test on October 9.
"As we have attained that position, we can now have discussions on an equal level.
"We will hold talks at any time, from the grand standpoint (of being a nuclear nation)."
- AFP
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