North Korea defiant, sets condition

Asian Age
Beijing, Dec. 18 - "North Korea defiantly proclaimed itself a nuclear power on Monday and demanded an end to sanctions before it disarms, while the US said it was running out of patience with the communist regime at the first six-nation arms talks since its nuclear test.

The talks on the North’s nuclear programme resumed at a Chinese state guesthouse in Beijing after the North ended a 13-month boycott over US financial restrictions. Prospects for progress were uncertain, as North Korea issued a list of pre-conditions before it would dismantle its atomic programme. Among the North’s demands at the talks — involving China, Japan, Russia, the United States and the two Koreas — were the lifting of all UN sanctions and US financial restrictions, along with being given a nuclear reactor for power generation and energy aid until it is built, according to a summary of opening speeches released by one of the delegations involved.

But US envoy Christopher Hill said sanctions would remain in effect until the North disarms, adding he hoped for initial steps this week on implementing a September 2005 denuclearisation agreement 'to demonstrate that the process indeed has legs and is moving forward.' " Read on...