- (AFP) -- North Korea has a right to develop nuclear and
other weapons of mass destruction because of a US threat to its sovereignty,
Pyongyang's ambassador to Moscow said in the first firm defense of the
Stalinist state's clandestine military program.
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- But rejecting US claims that it already has such weapons,
Pak Hui Chun denied that North Korea was actually developing a nuclear
arsenal, calling the accusations "groundless."
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- "We unambiguously told the US presidential special
envoy that, facing a growing nuclear threat from the US, we have the right
to possess not only nuclear, but even more powerful weapons in order to
defend our sovereignty and the right to survive," news agencies quoted
Pak Hui Chun as saying.
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- "If the US tries to crush us with tough policy,
we will retaliate to this with super toughness," he warned Thursday.
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- On a softer note, Pak said North Korea preferred to resolve
its conflict with the United States "through talks, not deterrence."
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- The ambassador further rejected US allegations that North
Korea had abandoned a 1994 framework agreement in which Pyongyang had agreed
to halt development of its nuclear program in exchange for assistance for
its civilian nuclear energy program from Washington.
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- Yet turning against Washington once more, Pak added that
the United States "has long ago lost its right to speak about observing
the agreement" because Washington views North Korea as part of an
"axis of evil" along with Iran and Iraq.
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- In a rare appearance before Russian reporters, Pak argued
the United States "had failed to present any proof" that North
Korea was enriching its uranium to weapons-grade during a visit there by
US State Department representative James Kelly.
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- Washington officials said Pyongyang admitted to developing
nuclear weapons one day after Kelly presented irrefutable US intelligence
information that showed North Korea was enriching uranium.
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- Pyongyang, however, had remained silent over the report.
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- Moscow has often attempted to act as a mediator between
Pyongyang and Washington, with Russian President Vladimir Putin twice meeting
the isolated state's leader Kim Jong-Il over the past two years.
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- Russian officials have said they hold no evidence that
North Korea has a nuclear weapons program, but at the same time scolded
Pyongyang for its officials' refusing to publicly address the US allegations.
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- After holding talks with Russian officials last week,
the US under secretary of state for arms control and international security,
John Bolton, said Moscow shared US concerns over North Korea's "flagrant
violation" of its treaty commitments.
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- Under a 1994 nuclear pact with the United States, North
Korea agreed to freeze its nuclear weapons program in exchange for two
light-water reactors as well as fuel oil.
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- But Pak, the Pyongyang ambassador to Moscow, once again
pointed out that his country and the United States are still technically
in a state of war, since Washington supports South Korea, with which the
North has no peace agreement.
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- "The fact that the Bush administration listed North
Korea among countries making up an axis of evil and included it on a list
of targets for a preventive nuclear strike is definitely a declaration
of war against North Korea," the Pyongyang diplomat said.
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