Pyongyang inflames nuke debate
At the six-nation diplomatic talks in Beijing on Thursday, North Korea reportedly announced plans to officially declare itself a nuclear weapons power and “demonstrate” a first missile test.
The claim threatens to undermine future talks this year aimed at ending the reclusive communist state’s nuclear ambitions.
North Korea’s deputy foreign minister Kim Yong-il reportedly made the statement during a plenary session at the Diaoyutai State Guest House.
Historic three-day talks began on Wednesday with all parties focussed on smoothing out the 10-month stand-off between North Korea and the US over Pyongyang’s increasingly belligerent behaviour.
North Korea, alongside pre-war Iraq and Iran, sits on US President Bush’s “axis of evil.”
The meeting brings together the two Koreas, the US, Russia, Japan and China.
In October last year, the US announced that North Korea had admitted to a secret nuclear arms programme.
North Korea has since reactivated its Yongbyon nuclear plant, expelled UN’s International Atomic
Energy Agency inspectors and effectively ended its support for the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
The US says North Korea may have two nuclear weapons and several more in the pipeline.
According to Japan’s Kyodo news service the US delegation has rejected North Korea’s plan for the US to sign a non-aggression treaty.
It is reported that the delegates have agreed to meet again in October for a second round of talks.
Moscow, Tokyo or Beijing are tipped as potential venues.
The talks end at midday in China on Friday.
