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BBC News Online: World: Asia-Pacific


Friday, 26 October, 2001, 07:14 GMT 08:14 UK

North Korea spurns US


North Korean troops
Pyongyang does not want pre-conditions to talks
North Korea's official daily newspaper has said the country is "not interested" in improving relations with the US.

The paper also demanded an apology for President George W Bush's comments last week that the country's leader Kim Jong-il was "secretive" and "suspicious".

The official daily, Minju Joson, called President Bush's policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as it calls itself, "vicious" and "hostile".

"Now that the US tries to disarm the DPRK, while persistently pursuing the hostile policy toward the DPRK, the DPRK is not interested in any dialogue and improvement of relations with the US," the paper was quoted as saying.

Policy review

Relations between Washington and Pyongyang have been frosty since President Bush came into office and ordered a review of former President Clinton's more open policy.

Kim Jong-il

North Korea is now angry at what it sees as US preconditions for resuming talks.

The US has said items for discussion should include North Korea's missile and suspected nuclear weapons development, as well as the country's stationing of troops and weapons along the sensitive border with South Korea.

Efforts to kick-start the reconciliation process between north and south of the peninsular appeared to be back on track last month, when ministers from the two Koreas agreed to a full schedule of exchanges.

But North Korea then postponed visits between families separated since the 1950s. It blamed the south's security alert in response to the 11 September terrorist attacks on the United States.

Pyongyang has since sought to rewrite the programme of agreed exchanges.

President Bush, speaking last week, said he was disappointed that Kim Jong-il had failed to visit South Korea, as planned, or agree to meetings between North Korean and US representatives.

The Minju Joson responded: "(Bush's) remarks prove that he does not know any elementary etiquette and has no common sense as a statesman, not to speak of a head of state".


Related to this story:
New food crisis for North Korea (23 Oct 01 | Asia-Pacific) North Korea battered by tidal wave (16 Oct 01 | Asia-Pacific) N Korea faces desperate future (21 Aug 01 | Asia-Pacific) N Koreans 'starving to death' (09 Jan 01 | Asia-Pacific) Where famine stalks the land (30 Nov 00 | Asia-Pacific) Profile: Kim Jong-il (09 Jun 00 | Asia-Pacific)


Internet links: US State Department paper on North Korea | Korean Central News Agency | World Food Programme |
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