Posted on 02/09/2005 11:15:30 PM PST by sonsofliberty2000
Edited on 02/09/2005 11:33:13 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea (news - web sites) publicly admitted Thursday for the first time that it has nuclear weapons, and said it wouldn't return to six-nation talks aimed at getting it to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Diplomats have said that North Korea has acknowledged having nuclear arms in private talks, but this is the first time the communist government has said so directly to the public.
"We had already taken the resolute action of pulling out of the (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) and have manufactured nukes for self-defense to cope with the Bush administration's ever-more undisguised policy to isolate and stifle the DPRK," the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
DPRK refers to the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
North Korea's "nuclear weapons will remain (a) nuclear deterrent for self-defense under any circumstances," the ministry said. "The present reality proves that only powerful strength can protect justice and truth."
Since 2003, the United States, the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia have held three rounds of talks in Beijing aimed at persuading the North to abandon nuclear weapons development in return for economic and diplomatic rewards. But no significant progress has been made.
A fourth round scheduled for September was canceled when North Korea refused to attend, citing what it called a "hostile" U.S. policy.
Thursday's statement came after President Bush (news - web sites) started his second term last month by refraining from direct criticism of North Korea — raising hopes that the North would return to the stalled nuclear talks. But North Korea said it had little hope for improved ties during Bush's second term office.
"We have wanted the six-party talks but we are compelled to suspend our participation in the talks for an indefinite period till we have recognized that there is justification for us to attend the talks," the North said Thursday.
North Korea said it came to its decision because "the U.S. disclosed its attempt to topple the political system in the DPRK at any cost, threatening it with a nuclear stick."
Still, North Korea said it retained its "principled stand to solve the issue through dialogue and negotiations and its ultimate goal to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula remain unchanged."
LOL, that's one way to get him Boazo!!
So when will South Korea and Japan announce they have nukes as well?
When they chose to?
When they choose to?
PS: And, aside from the obvious, your point is?
My word she's an unfortunate looking woman
I doubt Bush was ever serious about NK being part of the "axis of evil." The neocons' aims have always been to remake the Middle East. NK was just camoflague to hide those aims.
But I guess some conservatives took Bush at face value. Oh well.
They blow out the candles at night, Meek!!I bet they do, too. :^D
I love Steyn's analogy of N. Korea being Asia's
"hole in the donut" .....
I never heard that about the 'donut hole'!
What, and hang it next to Arafat's? Nobel made his riches in war, and his followers are fools.
Goes to show you how effective the talks with Iran will be. Can we commence the bombing now?
Then post an article about "work accidents."
Short of having them fired from the inside of a plasma ball caused by an H-Bomb, no. The question to Mr No-Dong is, how lucky do you feel?
The problem is, once they fire the cannons, you got about 2 seconds to deliver the blocking fire. So the only option is a first strike scenario.
Seems Kim has chosen the paint himself into a corner scenario.
Heck, we took over the world twice now, and gave it back both times. Why do it again?
I have news for Kimmie, his fence and border guards are doing a lot more isolation than the US is.
You got that right, Islam rides a red horse. (Revelations Chapter 6)
I will after the 1st 'accident' is confirmed...
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