|
SLUG: 2-302736 North Korea / Nuclear
DATE: NOTE NUMBER: |
||
DATE=04/30/03 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=NORTH KOREA / NUKES - S NUMBER=2-302736 BYLINE=KURT ACHIN DATELINE=HONG KONG CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Inter-Korean talks wrapped up early Wednesday with no apparent progress toward resolving tensions over North Korea's nuclear program. And Pyongyang is strongly insinuating it does in fact have nuclear weapons. Kurt Achin has more from our Asia News Center. TEXT: After cabinet-level talks ended in Pyongyang, the two Koreas issued a joint statement Wednesday promising more dialogue to resolve to the peninsula's nuclear crisis. But South Korea could not get the North to agree in writing to scrap its nuclear ambitions. Within hours, North Korea strongly suggested publicly that its does possess nuclear weapons. It blames hostile U-S policy for compelling Pyongyang, in its words, to "opt for a necessary force deterrent and put it into practice." British Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell is expected to press North Korea for specifics about its nuclear capability, as Pyongyang opens its first embassy in London on Wednesday. Meanwhile a South Korean newspaper published what it says are details of North Korea's proposal last week to the United States. It offers to end North Korea's nuclear threat in exchange for a U-S non-aggression treaty, aid and other concessions. But U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell says the offer is not new and would not lead in the right direction. Washington says North Korea must prove compliance with its nuclear non-proliferation agreements before any aid or other benefits will be considered. (signed) NEB/HK/KA/JO |
||
