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N.Korea says to push ahead with nuclear deterrent
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-04-24 15:59
North Korea will push ahead with its nuclear deterrent, saying time is not on
President Bush's side in trying to resolve the atomic crisis, a U.S. expert on
North Korea said on Saturday after meeting top officials in Pyongyang.
 The officials had also vowed never to let nuclear weapons
fall into the hands of al Qaeda or other militants, he said.
Selig Harrison, of the Center for International Policy in Washington, quoted
the officials as dismissing Bush's insistence on complete, irreversible and
verifiable dismantling of North Korea's nuclear program up front, and laying out
a deal for an initial freeze.
"He (Bush) may be trying to gain time, but time is not on his side," Harrison
quoted Kim Yong-nam, president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
and North Korea's number two leader, as saying.
"We are going to use this time 100 percent effectively to strengthen our
nuclear deterrent, quantitatively and qualitatively."
In response to allegations by Vice President Dick Cheney that North Korea
could proliferate nuclear technology, Kim said there was a clear distinction
between missiles and nuclear material.
"There can be trade in missiles but in regard to nuclear material our policy,
past, present and future, is that we would never allow such a transfer to al
Qaeda or anyone else," Harrison quoted Kim as saying.
Foreign Ministry officials said they expected a third round of six-party
talks comprising the two Koreas, China, Russia, the United States and Japan
before the end of June and working group meetings in late May.
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