Washington warns North Korea over nuclear threats
Wednesday, 27 Aug 2008 13:12
US warns North Korea it must prove it is dismantling nuclear programme before being taken off terrorism blacklist
In Focus
Just as they did in southern Lebanon in the summer of 2006, the Israeli army is dominating headlines by pursuing military action against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Full Story
The United States has warned
North Korea that threats to resume its nuclear programme will not see it removed from a terrorism blacklist.
Earlier this week Pyongyang said it had halted disablement of its nuclear activities and said it could restart its main Yongbyon reactor unless it was taken off the state sponsor of terrorism list.
But the White House has responded by insisting proof that the reclusive Communist state has begun dismantling its nuclear programme is a precursor to such a move.
Spokesman Tony Fratto said the six-party talks had confirmed this commitment to "action for action".
"They have linked their action to not being taken off the state sponsor of terrorism list," Mr Fratto told journalists.
"The other members of the six-party [talks] have made it clear that the United States will not take North Korea off the state sponsor of terrorism list until we have a protocol in place to verify the dismantling and accounting for [Pyongyang's] nuclear programme.
"So that's not a new demand; that's a longstanding demand. It's not just a US demand; it's a demand by the other five members of the six-party talks."
The White House added that the strain on US-Russian relations over the latter's intervention in Georgia had not put the six-party talks – which also featured South Korea, China and Japan – in jeopardy.