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North Korea¡¯s state-run media on Tuesday warned Pyongyang could boycott six-party talks on its nuclear program after the U.S. refused to meet and discuss sanctions it has imposed on North Korean firms. The North¡¯s Rodong Shinmun daily said Pyongyang cannot take part in the next round of the talks if the sanctions imposed for alleged counterfeiting remain in place.
But the position was couched in the form of a commentary, and South Korean officials said it was too early to interpret it as an official boycott.
Earlier, U.S. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli denied a report in Japan¡¯s Sankei Shimbun that the North told the U.S. about its decision to stay away from the talks unless its chief negotiator discusses the sanctions with his U.S. counterpart Christopher Hill. In the last session of the six-way talks before recess in November, North Korea demanded a discussion on the sanctions at the talks and was angered when the U.S. refused.
Ereli said Pyongyang simply rejected Washington¡¯s proposal to ¡°explain the Patriot Act¡± ? meaning the sanctions against the companies and a bank in Macau the U.S. says were the main channels for counterfeit U.S. dollars made by the North and other criminal activities. The Japanese daily had said a North Korean UN representative told the State Department of Pyongyang¡¯s decision to boycott the talks.
Ereli also said Washington was considering a South Korean proposal for a meeting of chief negotiators from the six countries on Jeju Island before the official talks resume.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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