North Korea Willing to Give Up Nuclear Weapons Program

Friday, November 14, 2003

(4:21 PM)

l'Agence France-Presse

Kim Song-sol recalled that in the first six-way talks held in Beijing in April, North Korea proposed a non-agression treaty, the establishment of diplomatic relations with the US, guaranteed collaboration between North Korea, South Korea and Japan and economic compensation for the loss of two light-water reactors. In exchange, the diplomat added, Pyongyang said it would "not manufacture nuclear weapons, allow annual inspections, dissolve the nuclear facilities, and suspend the testing of missiles or the missile export or such kind of things."

WASHINGTON -- AFP
North Korea is willing to give up its nuclear weapons programme and stop testing and exporting missiles, subject to certain guarantees, The Washington Times reported, quoting diplomats from the Stalinist state.

Pyongyang expected written security guarantees and compensation for economic losses incurred by closing two nuclear power plants, the two diplomats told the daily in Geneva during an interview.

Identified as Kim Yong-ho and Kim Song-sol, the envoys said the United States would also have to pledge not to hinder North Korea's economic development, especially its dealings with Japan and South Korea.

They said there was no confirmation on a date for the next six-way talks involving both Koreas, Japan, Russia, China and the United States, but stressed that their government had "agreed in principle to the next round of talks."

Since the nuclear crisis erupted a year ago, North Korea has demanded a non-aggression pact with Washington.

US President George W. Bush has refused, but last month proposed a written guarantee instead of a formal treaty.

(More: ChannelNewsAsia.com / Asia Pacific News)

2003 © l'Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Dan