North Korea warns its has nuclear weapons
WASHINGTON (AP) – North Korea’s lead official at nuclear weapons talks in China told a U.S. envoy that his country has nuclear weapons and may test, export or use them depending on U.S. actions, a senior American official said Thursday. The comment was made by North Korean delegate Ri Gun to Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly during a social gathering Wednesday following formal discussions on the North’s nuclear weapons program, said the senior U.S. official, speaking only on condition of anonymity.
Kelly did not respond to Ri’s comment, said the official.
According to the official, Ri said during the plenary session earlier that North Korea has reprocessed all 8,000 spent nuclear fuel rods in its possession.
If true, that would put North Korea much closer to building six to eight additional weapons beyond the one or two it is believed to have at present.
The U.S. official said CIA assessments indicate that reprocessing has not yet started. The discrepancy, the official said, suggests the either Ri is lying or the United States has suffered a major intelligence failure.
Last Friday, North Korea said that after initial preparations, it was “at the point” of reprocessing, a statement apparently designed to increase its leverage heading into this week’s talks.
The comments by Ri, as reported by the administration official, suggest that North Korea is not taking seriously the U.S. goal of a “verifiable and irreversible” elimination of the North’s nuclear weapons program.
The talks this week in Beijing, with China serving as a partner, were designed to address international concern over the program.
The State Department refused on Thursday to characterize the talks.
Secretary of State Colin Powell said any attempts by the North Korean government to intimidate the United States would fail.
A U.S. official said there were no indications that a nuclear test by North Korea was imminent but acknowledged that preparations for an underground test could be concealed. Another official said the North Koreans never used the word “test” in the discussions.
One positive note during the talks for the United States was a statement by China Wednesday, during a closed-door plenary session, in support of a denuclearized Korean peninsula. The Chinese also reminded the North Koreans that they had promised South Korea in 1992 that they would not develop nuclear weapons.
U.S. officials considered the comments by the Chinese to be significant because China has been a friend of North Korea and an important source of food and energy.
After three-way talks on Wednesday, Thursday’s discussions were limited to a one-on-one U.S.-China meeting and a one-on-one China-North Korea encounter.
Friday’s agenda remained up in the air. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said more two-way talks involving the same participants might be held along with a final three-way discussion. He said direct U.S.-North Korean talks were unlikely.
Powell, in a morning appearance before the U.S.-Asia Pacific Council, made clear the United States entered the talks with low expectations.
“This is an early meeting, no intention of resolving any issues at this meeting,” Powell said.
“The North Koreans presented their point of view – strongly. The Chinese did as well, as did the United States.”
North Korea did not seem to view the talks as a reason to tone down belligerent rhetoric.
“The situation on the Korean Peninsula is so tense that a war may break out any moment due to the U.S. moves,” the North’s KCNA news agency said.
It said relations with the United States had hit “rock bottom” because President Bush named North Korea as part of an axis of evil, along with Iran and Iraq.
The Bush administration has said a diplomatic solution to the North Korea problem was within reach. It has hoped to work out a bargain whereby North Korea would agree to eliminate its weapons program in exchange for substantial assistance to help the country improve its stricken economy.
Powell said the North Koreans should not leave Beijing “with the slightest impression” that they might be able “to force us to make a concession that we would not otherwise make.”
Ri is described as an engaging diplomat who speaks good English. Kelly’s instructions were to not respond to Ri’s presentation nor to have any discussions with him.
The senior administration official said Chinese officials encouraged Kelly to meet with Ri. He added that National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice vetoed that suggestion.
Kelly plans visits to South Korea and Japan to brief officials in those countries on the outcome of the talks. Powell said he hopes the two countries can be included if there is another round, given the stakes both have.
North Korea is among the most vexing problems the United States faces because, beyond its existing nuclear weapons capability, its forces along the Demilitarize Zone are capable of inflicting horrific damage on Seoul and its environs, only about 30 miles south of the DMZ.