Russian official predicts 'catastrophic' events

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HeXp£Øi±

Well-Known Member
A top Russian Foreign Ministry official was quoted as saying yesterday in Tokyo that a "catastrophic" development of events in the US-North Korean nuclear standoff was imminent and could occur within the next day.

"It is probable that, as early as tomorrow, there will be a catastrophic development of events," Itar-Tass quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov as saying.

He added that the standoff had "reached an extreme stage" but did not give a more detailed explanation about his warning.

Losyukov holds the Asian affairs brief in the ministry.

His comments came as US Asia envoy James Kelly had a first round of low-key nuclear talks in Beijing with "axis of evil" foe North Korea.

Losyukov said that Russia would welcome progress in Kelly's negotiations with Li Gun, the North Korean Foreign Ministry's deputy director for US affairs and a former senior member of his country's delegation to the United Nations.

"If the danger is defused, we would only welcome this," Losyukov said.

China was represented by Fu Ying, director of the Foreign Ministry's department of Asian affairs, but Russia - which had sought to play a role in mediating the Washington-Pyongyang standoff - was excluded.

Losyukov said Russia did not feel snubbed by the decision.

Russia "does not feel left out or hurt," said Losyukov, whose comments came after a meeting with top Japanese Foreign Ministry officials.

Moscow had pushed for direct talks between North Korea and the United States and argued against Washington's demands for a multilateral format for such negotiations.

But Beijing managed to broker a compromise deal that would see the two sides hold talks with China as an active third party.

Those may be later joined by South Korea and Japan -- but Russia's own role in the negotiations seems uncertain.

President Vladimir Putin has enjoyed privileged relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. He has met the reclusive Stalinist three times over the past two years and Moscow diplomats have insisted that they were still hard at work in trying to resolve the nuclear standoff.

Moscow "is doing all it can in the diplomatic arena," Losyukov was quoted as saying. He gave no further details.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/04/23/1050777311990.html
 
Sources: North Korea admits having nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- North Korea has admitted having nuclear weapons, sources close to the U.S. talks with North Korea and China told CNN on Thursday.

The country said it would "prove" it has the weapons soon, one source said.

In the past, North Korean officials have privately told U.S. officials that they have a nuclear weapons program, but they did not declare having any nuclear weapons.

A source said Gen. Li Gun, North Korea's representative to the talks in Beijing, China, told U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, "blatantly and boldly" that the country has nuclear weapons and then asked, "Now what are you going to do about it?"

Li said Pyongyang would consider dismantling its nuclear weapons program if the United States signed a written security statement promising not to attack North Korea, according to a source. However, Li said it was not possible to dismantle a nuclear weapon, the source said.

In the past, North Korean officials have privately told U.S. officials that they have a nuclear weapons program, but they did not declare having any weapons.

U.S. officials have accused North Korea of trying to blackmail the United States into making concessions.

White House officials said Thursday they would look into the latest statements from Pyongyang, noting that translations have led to misunderstandings at times.

Earlier Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the talks, scheduled to continue Friday, were "coming to a close" and all sides presented strong views over nuclear concerns.

"The sides will return to their capitals and assess what they heard, analyze proposals that were put down by the parties and determine where they will go next," Powell told the Asia-Pacific Council.

"The one thing that is absolutely clear as a result of this meeting once again is that there is unity within the community that we must not allow the peninsula to become nuclear."

He noted this is the position of "the Chinese government, and of course of the United States, Japan, South Korea and of Russia, Australia and others in the region. North Korea must come to understand this."

In a statement carried Thursday on the North Korean state news agency, Pyongyang said the U.S.-led war in Iraq has shown the only way for a country to protect itself is to have a powerful deterrent.

It said the "master key" to progress was for Washington to make a "bold switchover" in its policy toward North Korea.

The statement, which referred to the Beijing talks, appeared to be a hardening of Pyongyang's long-standing position seeking some kind of security guarantee from the United States before it will talk about dismantling its nuclear program.

"In actuality, the situation on the Korean peninsula is so tense that a war may break out any moment due to the U.S. moves," the statement said.

The United States has said it has no plans to invade North Korea or to resort to any kind of military action.

Nonetheless, officials said their message to North Korea is that it must immediately end production of nuclear weapons and establish an intrusive inspections regime.

The Beijing talks were the first official meetings between the United States and North Korea since October when Washington said North Korean officials admitted to them that they were pursuing an active nuclear weapons program.

North Korea denies any such admission took place and said the United States is using its accusation as an excuse to justify military action. Kelly was the same U.S. official who confronted Pyongyang about its nuclear program in the fall.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/04/24/nkorea.us/index.html
 
Here we go again. It's too bad our troops couldn't get some rest between wars. NK seems destined for war though.
 
of all the countries i wouldn't want to see a war i think nk would be up there. they won't sit on their hands and wait and they're not a country that have been worn down with 12 years of sanctions and a previous war.

likely to be messy if it kicks off.
 
Messy for south Korea primarily. SK should be begging china and russia for help. Worst case scenerio we would lose a couple hundred thousand in that war if NK could even get a missile to our lands. On the other hand South Korea would almost certianly lose millions.
 
Japan and NK should both worry. There might not be an SK after that war. I hope there is a better solution, maybe assassination!
 
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