- TOKYO -- North Korea is prepared
to declare itself a nuclear state unless the United States responds positively
to its proposals for resolving a row over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions
by Sept. 9 -- the anniversary of the communist country's founding, diplomatic
sources in Tokyo said.
-
- One source with close ties to Pyongyang told Reuters
that the North was ready to declare itself officially a member of the nuclear
club, opening the way for possible nuclear tests and increased production
of weapons. "North Korea will move on to possess nuclear weapons and
declare itself a nuclear state if the United States fails to respond to
its proposals before September 9," he said.
-
- Pyongyang has said it has finished reprocessing spent
nuclear fuel that could allow it to make about a half a dozen atomic bombs,
but doubts persist about the accuracy of its claims.
-
- Another source, also speaking on condition of anonymity,
said China feared that a muted response from the United States or fruitless
talks could prompt North Korea to declare itself a nuclear state.
-
- "If the United States refused to strike a deal in
one way or another, North Korea could go nuclear," the source said.
-
- "This is what China worries about the most, and
China as a mediator will lose face," he added.
-
- Cautious hopes of a breakthrough in the nine-month-old
crisis over North Korea's nuclear arms program have risen since China sent
an envoy to Pyongyang earlier this month, apparently to suggest a compromise
format for negotiations.
-
- North Korea has said the crisis can only be defused by
bilateral talks with the United States and a non-aggression treaty between
the two.
-
- Washington now says it is open to three-way talks that
would include China as a first step to broader multilateral discussions
including Japan and South Korea.
-
- And while U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage
has ruled out a non- aggression pact, he has said Washington could provide
a security guarantee by exchanging letters or official statements if Pyongyang
dismantled its nuclear arms programs.
-
- DOOR REMAINS OPEN
-
- North Korea thinks declaring itself a nuclear power would
allow it to negotiate from a position of strength, but is willing to abandon
its atomic program if it gets something substantial in return, the first
Pyongyang-linked source said.
-
- "If North Korea were to possess nuclear weapons,
that would put the United States in a weaker and disadvantageous position
in future negotiations," the source said.
-
- A third diplomatic source in Tokyo said North Korean
representatives at the United Nations have had frequent contact with U.S.
counterparts but were puzzled by vague responses.
-
- "Pyongyang has been at a loss because the United
States does not send any clear signals that it really wants to have a dialogue,"
the source said.
-
- The United States said Tuesday it was considering fresh
talks with North Korea and China on Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions if they
were immediately followed by broader discussions.
-
- But the diplomatic sources in Tokyo said that unless
the fresh round of three- way talks helped the United States and North
Korea build "mutual trust," Pyongyang would not accept the five-nation
forum which would include Japan and South Korea.
-
- "If North Korea failed to secure trust in the United
States after the three-way talks, it would never agree to five-nation talks,"
the first source said.
-
- "Everything hinges on the next round of three-way
talks."
-
- The North Korean nuclear crisis erupted last October
when U.S. officials said Pyongyang had admitted to a clandestine atomic
weapons program, which Washington fears could threaten its allies in the
region and destabilize Northeast Asia.
-
- The U.S., China and North Korea met in Beijing in April
to seek a diplomatic solution but made little progress.
-
-
- http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/21619/story.htm
|
