Blix warns of N Korea response
2006-10-18 19:08
Stockholm - A tough-line stance against North Korea in wake of its nuclear weapons test could lead to an armed response from Pyongyang, former UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix said on Wednesday.
In an interview with Swedish Radio, Blix said sanctions and threats of military attacks against North Korea was likely to lead to further escalation instead of a diplomatic solution.
"If you look at North Korea's previous reactions when they have been exposed to threats, things have usually escalated," Blix said. "It is a dangerous situation."
Blix also warned against pressuring China to stop and search North Korean ships for banned weapons and materials, an issue that has created tension between Beijing and the United States over UN security council sanctions for the North's nuclear test.
China has so far balked against US pressure to stop the ships, saying it could trigger military clashes.
"If you start stopping their ships ... there is a risk you will get an armed response," Blix said. "It's like a powder keg out there, and the spark could be lit."
Blix is head of the Stockholm-based Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, which published a 227-page report about the dangers of nuclear weapons earlier this year.
- AP