posted on September 2, 2003 11:04:11 AM new
The Neoconservatives are at it again.
China: US Aggressive Attitude an Obstacle in North Korea Nuclear Talks
VOA News
01 Sep 2003, 14:52 UTC
A high-ranking Chinese diplomat says the U.S. position on North Korea is the biggest obstacle to progress in resolving a standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday that Washington's policy towards Pyongyang is the "main problem" facing all sides in six-way talks aimed at persuading North Korea to give up its weapons development program.
Speaking to reporters in the Philippines, where he is attending a conference of Asian parliamentarians, Mr. Wang expressed hope that the United States and North Korea will find a way to settle their differences through compromise. His comments follow North Korea's hostile reaction to three days of multi-lateral talks just concluded in Beijing.
As the talks ended Friday, North Korea joined China, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Russia in pledging to meet again. Since then, however, Pyongyang has used its official news agencies to describe the discussions as pointless because the United States continues to insist on regime change.
A senior South Korean official is cautioning not to read too much into the rhetoric. South Korean presidential foreign affairs advisor Ban Ki-moon says the North's dismissal of the need for further talks probably is a negotiating tactic.
During the talks last week, North Korea declared it has a nuclear weapon and threatened to conduct a nuclear test if the United States does not offer a non-aggression treaty. North Korea said they would dismantle their arsenal and have U.N. weapons inspectors come in. U.S. officials have ruled out such a treaty.
Concerns about North Korea's nuclear intentions intensified last October, when U.S. officials said Pyongyang had admitted secretly working on a nuclear program in violation of a 1994 treaty.
[ edited by bigcitycollectables on Sep 2, 2003 11:07 AM ]
posted on September 2, 2003 11:16:51 AM new
I'm sure the U.S. will do lots of posturing with NK, but I really doubt they'll do anything about the threat they pose... (NO OIL). Bush has repeatedly said that China, Japan and Russia get to look after NK. Bush's next step will be Iran... (OIL).
posted on September 2, 2003 01:00:00 PM new
It's in our interest to let North Korea go nuclear. After the wackos in North Korea drop nukes on their appeasing neighbors, then we can nuke North Korea from sea and avoid a costly conventional war which would cost at least 5,000 US lives.
