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omonatheydidN. Korea to work with US
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said today that it understands the need to resume the stalled international talks on ending its nuclear programs, and that it agrees to work with the United States to narrow unspecified “remaining differences.”
The statement from North Korea’s Foreign Ministry was the first reaction from the communist nation to three days of high-level talks with President Barack Obama’s special envoy. Upon returning from North Korea on Thursday, envoy Stephen Bosworth made similar remarks in Seoul that the two sides reached common understandings on the need to restart the nuclear talks.
The North said in the statement that this week’s meetings with the U.S. “deepened mutual understandings, narrowed differences in their respective views and identified not a small number of things in common.”
“A series of mutual understandings were also reached on the need to resume” the nuclear talks and to implement a 2005 disarmament pact, the North said in a statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
The two sides “agreed to continue to cooperate to narrow remaining differences,” it said.
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told reporters that for a “preliminary meeting, it was quite positive.”
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley urged the North to make a firm commitment to return to the negotiating table.
“They have to make the fundamental decision, and we did not leave the meeting today believing that they had crossed the threshold that we want to see them cross,” he said.
North Korea — believed capable of building at least a half-dozen atomic bombs — had been negotiating since 2003 with the U.S., China, Japan, Russia and South Korea on dismantling its nuclear program in exchange for much-needed aid and other concessions.
North Korea ditched the talks earlier this year in anger over the international criticism of its ambitions to develop rocket technology that could be used one day to send a long-range missile hurling across the Pacific.
Source: telegram.com via Associated Press
Restarting nuclear talks was special envoy’s goal
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said today that it understands the need to resume the stalled international talks on ending its nuclear programs, and that it agrees to work with the United States to narrow unspecified “remaining differences.”
The statement from North Korea’s Foreign Ministry was the first reaction from the communist nation to three days of high-level talks with President Barack Obama’s special envoy. Upon returning from North Korea on Thursday, envoy Stephen Bosworth made similar remarks in Seoul that the two sides reached common understandings on the need to restart the nuclear talks.
The North said in the statement that this week’s meetings with the U.S. “deepened mutual understandings, narrowed differences in their respective views and identified not a small number of things in common.”
“A series of mutual understandings were also reached on the need to resume” the nuclear talks and to implement a 2005 disarmament pact, the North said in a statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
The two sides “agreed to continue to cooperate to narrow remaining differences,” it said.
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told reporters that for a “preliminary meeting, it was quite positive.”
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley urged the North to make a firm commitment to return to the negotiating table.
“They have to make the fundamental decision, and we did not leave the meeting today believing that they had crossed the threshold that we want to see them cross,” he said.
North Korea — believed capable of building at least a half-dozen atomic bombs — had been negotiating since 2003 with the U.S., China, Japan, Russia and South Korea on dismantling its nuclear program in exchange for much-needed aid and other concessions.
North Korea ditched the talks earlier this year in anger over the international criticism of its ambitions to develop rocket technology that could be used one day to send a long-range missile hurling across the Pacific.
Source: telegram.com via Associated Press
A look at North Korea's nuclear program
A look at North Korea's nuclear program:
REACTORS: 5-megawatt facility in Yongbyon capable of producing plutonium, which can be weaponized to make nuclear bombs, was shut down in July 2007 as part of a disarmament-for-aid deal. In April, North Korea said it would restart its atomic program and reprocess spent fuel rods.
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS: North Korea is believed to have produced up to 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of weaponized plutonium — enough for half a dozen or more bombs. Reprocessing 8,000 additional spent nuclear fuel rods in storage could yield enough weaponized plutonium for yet another bomb. In September, North Korea said reprocessing of spent fuel rods was in the final phase.
North Korea also admitted to having a uranium enrichment program, which would provide a second way to make atomic bombs.
NUCLEAR TESTS: North Korea conducted an underground test of a nuclear device in October 2006, and a second test this May. However, experts say North Korea has not mastered mounting the device on a long-range missile.
MISSILES: North Korea has "Rodong" missiles with a range of about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) — far enough to reach Japan — and Scud-type, short-range missiles that could reach South Korea. Also has fielded intermediate-range ballistic missiles that can travel at least 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometers) and has test-fired a Taepodong-1 missile with an estimated range of 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers).
Also believed to be developing a Taepodong-2 missile with potential range more than 4,100 miles (6,700 kilometers), and a new missile with an even longer range that could potentially put Hawaii, Australia and Eastern Europe within striking distance.
Source: Yahoo News via Associated PressREACTORS: 5-megawatt facility in Yongbyon capable of producing plutonium, which can be weaponized to make nuclear bombs, was shut down in July 2007 as part of a disarmament-for-aid deal. In April, North Korea said it would restart its atomic program and reprocess spent fuel rods.
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS: North Korea is believed to have produced up to 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of weaponized plutonium — enough for half a dozen or more bombs. Reprocessing 8,000 additional spent nuclear fuel rods in storage could yield enough weaponized plutonium for yet another bomb. In September, North Korea said reprocessing of spent fuel rods was in the final phase.
North Korea also admitted to having a uranium enrichment program, which would provide a second way to make atomic bombs.
NUCLEAR TESTS: North Korea conducted an underground test of a nuclear device in October 2006, and a second test this May. However, experts say North Korea has not mastered mounting the device on a long-range missile.
MISSILES: North Korea has "Rodong" missiles with a range of about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) — far enough to reach Japan — and Scud-type, short-range missiles that could reach South Korea. Also has fielded intermediate-range ballistic missiles that can travel at least 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometers) and has test-fired a Taepodong-1 missile with an estimated range of 1,550 miles (2,500 kilometers).
Also believed to be developing a Taepodong-2 missile with potential range more than 4,100 miles (6,700 kilometers), and a new missile with an even longer range that could potentially put Hawaii, Australia and Eastern Europe within striking distance.
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