Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on Japan's Attitude toward Resumption of Six-Party Talks

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

   Pyongyang, November 4 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA on Nov. 4 as regards Japan's senseless behavior regarding the resumption of the six-party talks: As already reported, bilateral and multi-lateral contacts with main emphasis on the contact between the DPRK and the U.S. took place in Beijing on Oct. 31. The DPRK, accordingly, decided to return to the six-party talks on the premise that the issue of lifting the financial sanctions would be discussed and settled at an early date between the DPRK and the U.S. within the framework of the six-party talks.
    The international community is now unanimous in hailing the agreement on the resumption of the six-party talks, while highly praising the DPRK's invariable stand and sincere efforts for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
    But it is only Japan that expressed its wicked intention, letting loose with a spate of balderdashes.
    No sooner had the agreement on the resumption of the six-party talks been made public than the Japanese prime minister, foreign minister, chief cabinet secretary and others are behaving impudently, asserting "Japan has no idea of accepting north Korea's return to the six-party talks on the premise that it is a nuclear weapons state."
    The Japanese authorities have thus clearly proved themselves that they are political imbeciles incapable of judging the trend of the situation and their deplorable position.
    The DPRK has never asked Japan to participate in the six-party talks.
    In fact, it was displeased with Japan's participation in the six-party talks, but has properly treated it, taking the relations with other participating countries into consideration.
    It is the view of the DPRK that since the U.S. attends the six-party talks, there is no need for Japan to participate in them as a local delegate because it is no more than a state of the U.S. and it is enough for Tokyo just to be informed of the results of the talks by Washington.
    The Japanese government, quite new as it is, must have a lot to do internally. It had better, therefore, mind its own business instead of poking its nose into the work of the talks to its inconvenience.
    It would be much better for Japan to refrain from participating in the six-party talks and less attendants would be not bad for making the talks fruitful.