US 'cannot allow' nuclear N Korea (Merged)

Happy Times · 10-04-06, 09:19 PM

US 'cannot allow' nuclear N Korea

The US will not accept a North Korea armed with nuclear weapons, a top US envoy has said, days after Pyongyang announced plans for a nuclear test.

North Korea must choose either to have a future or to have nuclear weapons "but it cannot have them both", top US negotiator Christopher Hill said.

He did not specify how the US would respond if a nuclear test took place.

The US wants allies to present a common front against the test plans, but talks at the UN have been inconclusive.

"At this stage, there's division," said the US envoy to the UN, John Bolton.

However, state department spokesman Tom Casey said the US hoped to see "some action there in the near future".

Russia and South Korea have said that North Korea's plans to conduct a nuclear test are unacceptable.

Their foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Ban Ki-moon, agreed in a telephone conversation that a test would only aggravate the situation, Russia said.

The new Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, is to visit China and South Korea in the next few days.

Diplomatic drive

Mr Hill, Washington's top envoy at stalled six-party talks with North Korea, said the US was rallying its allies in a diplomatic push against Pyongyang.

"I am not prepared at this point to say what we are going to do but I am prepared to say we are not going to wait for a nuclear North Korea, we are not going to accept it," he said.

South Koreans gaze into the North through binoculars on the border
The true extent of the North's nuclear programme is unknown

He said North Korea had reached "a very important fork in the road - it can have a future or it can have these [nuclear] weapons but it cannot have them both".

Mr Hill said the message had been conveyed to Pyongyang's envoy at the UN but had yet to elicit a response.

Mr Hill, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have been in touch with their counterparts in Asia and Europe over the North Korea's planned nuclear test.

They want to send "a strong and unified signal... that these kinds of threats are certainly not acceptable", a state department spokesman said.

Mr Hill has had nuclear talks with North Korea in the past while Mr Burns plays a key role in America's diplomatic efforts to combat Iran's nuclear programme.

Sanctions

China has appealed for calm saying it hopes North Korea will "exercise the necessary calm and restraint".

It says the issue should be handled in a revival of six-nation talks.

North Korea announced its plans for a nuclear bomb test on Tuesday, saying it would boost security in the face of US hostility.

It is thought to have developed a handful of warheads but never before announced it would test one.

US and South Korean reports suggest the North has at least one underground test site.

The North appears increasingly angry at sanctions imposed by the US and other countries on North Korean businesses accused of arms sales and illegal activities.

In 2002, it restarted its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and forced two UN nuclear monitors to leave the country. It is unclear how far work has progressed at the plant since then. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/5408246.stm

10-04-06, 09:19 PM	#13
Happy Times Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 2,950 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	US 'cannot allow' nuclear N Korea US 'cannot allow' nuclear N Korea The US will not accept a North Korea armed with nuclear weapons, a top US envoy has said, days after Pyongyang announced plans for a nuclear test. North Korea must choose either to have a future or to have nuclear weapons "but it cannot have them both", top US negotiator Christopher Hill said. He did not specify how the US would respond if a nuclear test took place. The US wants allies to present a common front against the test plans, but talks at the UN have been inconclusive. "At this stage, there's division," said the US envoy to the UN, John Bolton. However, state department spokesman Tom Casey said the US hoped to see "some action there in the near future". Russia and South Korea have said that North Korea's plans to conduct a nuclear test are unacceptable. Their foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Ban Ki-moon, agreed in a telephone conversation that a test would only aggravate the situation, Russia said. The new Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, is to visit China and South Korea in the next few days. Diplomatic drive Mr Hill, Washington's top envoy at stalled six-party talks with North Korea, said the US was rallying its allies in a diplomatic push against Pyongyang. "I am not prepared at this point to say what we are going to do but I am prepared to say we are not going to wait for a nuclear North Korea, we are not going to accept it," he said. South Koreans gaze into the North through binoculars on the border The true extent of the North's nuclear programme is unknown He said North Korea had reached "a very important fork in the road - it can have a future or it can have these [nuclear] weapons but it cannot have them both". Mr Hill said the message had been conveyed to Pyongyang's envoy at the UN but had yet to elicit a response. Mr Hill, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have been in touch with their counterparts in Asia and Europe over the North Korea's planned nuclear test. They want to send "a strong and unified signal... that these kinds of threats are certainly not acceptable", a state department spokesman said. Mr Hill has had nuclear talks with North Korea in the past while Mr Burns plays a key role in America's diplomatic efforts to combat Iran's nuclear programme. Sanctions China has appealed for calm saying it hopes North Korea will "exercise the necessary calm and restraint". It says the issue should be handled in a revival of six-nation talks. North Korea announced its plans for a nuclear bomb test on Tuesday, saying it would boost security in the face of US hostility. It is thought to have developed a handful of warheads but never before announced it would test one. US and South Korean reports suggest the North has at least one underground test site. The North appears increasingly angry at sanctions imposed by the US and other countries on North Korean businesses accused of arms sales and illegal activities. In 2002, it restarted its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and forced two UN nuclear monitors to leave the country. It is unclear how far work has progressed at the plant since then. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/5408246.stm __________________ Last edited by Happy Times; 10-04-06 at 09:24 PM.