| North Korea's main weapon found American emissary James Kelly, who arrived in Asia to discuss the Korean crisis, faces silent pressure from the leaders of the countries in the region. In Seoul and Beijing, in Singapore, Indonesia and Japan, leaders want to avoid a head-on confrontation between the United States and North Korea. Malaysian leader Mahathir said: “Pyongyang will not surrender, even if its food supplies are blocked. It’s very difficult to deal with him, but we need to think together about how to get his cooperation.”
After negotiations in Seoul, James Kelly announced the United States' readiness to provide energy assistance to the DPRK together with private investors from other countries - but only if Pyongyang abandons its nuclear program. He kept silent about providing security guarantees to the DPRK. Henry Kissinger and former Pentagon chief William Cohen propose to develop a unified approach to the problem at a special international conference. Former US permanent representative to the UN, Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson, after three days of consultations with North Korean diplomats at the UN, insists on negotiations with the North and the conclusion of a non-aggression pact. This is exactly what Pyongyang is seeking.
Moscow is offering its own “package plan”, which provides for maintaining the nuclear-free status of the peninsula, as well as providing the DPRK with security guarantees along with economic assistance. At yesterday's press conference, North Korean Ambassador to Russia Pak Eui-chun said that an official proposal from the Russian side has not yet been received. The ambassador considered it unnecessary to comment on the media information. When asked whether Pyongyang expects a visit from Russian representatives in the near future to participate in resolving the problem, Mr. Park Eui Chun replied that “the Russian side is better informed on this issue.”
Commenting on James Kelly's latest statements, the ambassador said that he "doesn't really believe Kelly, since it was he who was responsible for the aggravation of the situation on the Korean Peninsula." Pyongyang accuses an American diplomat of fabricating a sensational rumor about North Korea's alleged admission of resuming its military nuclear program.
Park Ui-chun told reporters that North Korea's withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) "protects the sovereignty and dignity of the country and nation from the hostile policies of the United States" and the "unfair and biased actions" of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “Although we are withdrawing from the NPT, we have no intention of producing nuclear weapons. Our nuclear activities at this stage are limited to peaceful purposes, primarily the production of electricity,” the ambassador emphasized. The IAEA, according to Park Ui Chun, treated the North Koreans as “criminals”, presenting the DPRK with an ultimatum threatening to apply sanctions through the UN Security Council.
Park Ui Chun again harshly repeated North Korea's position that “the adoption of any sanctions will be regarded in Pyongyang as a declaration of war.” “You can take this literally,” the ambassador said clearly. According to him, North Korea has "a more powerful weapon than nuclear weapons - this is the power of unanimity and cohesion of our party, army and people around the great commander Kim Jong Il."
A correspondent for the Vremya Novostey newspaper asked the North Korean ambassador to Russia to comment on the further development of Russian-North Korean relations - in particular, is it expected to resume direct air traffic between Moscow and Pyongyang? “Our relations will develop well in the future. As for the direct flight from Moscow to Pyongyang, there are currently two flights between our countries: Pyongyang-Vladivostok and Pyongyang-Khabarovsk. I heard that another line was recently opened, Pyongyang-Novosibirsk. I think that when our relations become even more intensified, a direct line with Moscow will open,” Park Euchun answered with sincere pleasure. Katerina LABETSKAYA, Valentina KULIABINA |
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