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Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday the North Korean nuclear dispute had reached a "critical phase."
"The situation ¡¦ is developing in a way worthy of considerable concern, and when one puts together the results of consultations with China, the U.S. and other concerned parties with reports about the possibility of a nuclear test, the prospects of restarting the six-party talks aren't bright,¡± Ban said in a regular briefing. ¡°The government is studying responses keeping all possibilities in mind." But Ban said he had "nothing to say in particular" about referring the matter to the UN Security Council, though he did say resolving the dispute outside the six-party talks was a possibility.
Ban called "unreasonable" a North Korean demand the talks should become mutual nuclear disarmament negotiations for all parties.
"Concern in the international community is mounting over what North Korea is pursuing,¡± he said. ¡°North Korea must realize that the current situation¡¦ can¡¯t go on forever."
With tensions rising, high-ranking U.S. officials have issued almost daily hard-line statements about North Korea, including direct attacks on its leader Kim Jong-il.
U.S. National Intelligence Council chairman David Gordon said during a Congressional hearing North Korea would remain a nation of concern as long as Kim Jong-il remains in power. He expressed worry over possible North Korean nuclear exports, saying its ordinary proliferation activities were worrying enough, but they also revealed that Pyongyang could turn the threat to sell nuclear weapons or materials abroad into action.
Special envoy for negotiations with North Korea Joseph DeTrani also warned against North Korean nuclear exports, a possibility he called "terrible," "very provocative" and "unfortunate." He told a seminar the "nightmare scenario" was for nuclear materials, weapons or equipment to find their way into the hands of terrorist organizations. He also unveiled a U.S. basket of demands, saying if Pyongyang wants to normalize relations with Washington, it must resolve a multitude of issues such as drug smuggling, human rights and ballistic missiles.
The remarks come after President George W. Bush labeled Kim Jong-il a "dangerous man" and "tyrant" amid growing pessimism over an early solution to the standoff. The U.S. officially calls the six-party talks the "best way" to resolve the issue, but there is persuasive analysis saying that internally it is switching to ways of dealing with a complete breakdown in negotiations. Gordon Flake, director of the Mansfield Foundation, said ¡°almost everyone¡± now believed a restart of the six-party talks was impossible.
There is even occasional talk of war on the Korean Peninsula. Flake said Wednesday if a war broke out, it would be very fierce and destructive and could start almost without prior warning. Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the same day if North Korea invaded the South, we (the U.S.) would be victorious.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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