pRIMrose
09-05-2003, 07:46 AM
By Jim Hauser
Talon News
September 5, 2003
WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- Following several days of multilateral talks last week with China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and the United States, North Korea remains determined to develop nuclear weapons, but the Bush administration remains hopeful that a peaceful settlement can be reached.
Although the talks did not achieve any significant breakthroughs, most of the participants appeared to be optimistic and hopeful that future talks would be held. However, soon after the talks ended, North Korea vowed to continue with its nuclear weapons program.
Following this week's rubber-stamped re-election by North Korea's parliament, Kim Jong Il concurred with the Supreme People's Assembly decision to "keep and increase its nuclear deterrent force" to counter what it called hostile policy by the Bush administration.
According to KCNA, North Korea's official news agency, North Korea no longer held any "interest or expectations" for future multilateral talks.
North Korea has continuously made threats over the years to test its nuclear warheads and insists that it will continue with its nuclear weapons program until the United States signs a nonaggression treaty, opens diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, and offers the impoverished country economic assistance. The Bush administration's position has been that North Korea must end its nuclear weapons program first before anything else happens.
Source (http://www.gopusa.com/news/2003/september/0905_nkorea.shtml)
Talon News
September 5, 2003
WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- Following several days of multilateral talks last week with China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and the United States, North Korea remains determined to develop nuclear weapons, but the Bush administration remains hopeful that a peaceful settlement can be reached.
Although the talks did not achieve any significant breakthroughs, most of the participants appeared to be optimistic and hopeful that future talks would be held. However, soon after the talks ended, North Korea vowed to continue with its nuclear weapons program.
Following this week's rubber-stamped re-election by North Korea's parliament, Kim Jong Il concurred with the Supreme People's Assembly decision to "keep and increase its nuclear deterrent force" to counter what it called hostile policy by the Bush administration.
According to KCNA, North Korea's official news agency, North Korea no longer held any "interest or expectations" for future multilateral talks.
North Korea has continuously made threats over the years to test its nuclear warheads and insists that it will continue with its nuclear weapons program until the United States signs a nonaggression treaty, opens diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, and offers the impoverished country economic assistance. The Bush administration's position has been that North Korea must end its nuclear weapons program first before anything else happens.
Source (http://www.gopusa.com/news/2003/september/0905_nkorea.shtml)