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N Korea 'has no friends left'

US secretary of state says N Korea must return to arms talks or face further isolation.

    Clinton has been urging other regional players to back tougher sanctions against North Korea [AFP]

    But she said despite those concerns being raised, North Korea in response had "offered only an insistent refusal to recognise that [it] has been on the wrong course."

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    North Korea itself hit out at Clinton shortly before she spoke, saying that six-party talks on its nuclear programme were "dead" and calling Clinton an unintelligent, "funny lady".

    Clinton has been holding a series of meetings with Asian diplomats at the Phuket meeting Asean Regional Forum in an effort to enforce the latest UN sanctions ordered in the wake of North Korea's recent nuclear and missile tests.

    The sanctions triggered an angry response from North Korea, which announced several weeks ago it was abandoning the six-party disarmament talks and scrapping all agreements it had reached in them.


    Speaking to reporters, Clinton outlined a possible approach to North Korea, including a renewed drive to push the North into "full and verifiable denuclearisation", saying the US was prepared to offer in return "significant energy and economic assistance."

    Nonetheless she said there would be no compromise until North Korea completely gave up its atomic drive.

    "In short our approach isolates North Korea, imposes meaningful pressure to force changes in its behaviour and provides an alternative path that would serve everyone's interests," Clinton said.

    While the initial effort was focusing simply on restarting negotiations, she said there would be no reward for North Korea "just for returning to the table".

    Earlier US officials said Clinton's statement was intended to present North Korea with a "stark choice" between further isolation and sanctions, or a return to engagement with the international community.


    A member of North Korea's delegation attending the Phuket forum said the suggested US incentives for denuclearisation were "nonsense", blaming the "deep-rooted hostile policy" of the US for the current crisis.

    "How could the US talk about a package deal without abandoning its hostile policy and guaranteeing security and peace for us"

    Ri Hung-sik,
    North Korean foreign ministry

    "The six-party talks are already dead," Ri Hung-sik, director-general of the North Korean foreign ministry's international organisation bureau, told South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

    "The United States must abandon its hostile policy immediately, then talks would be possible."

    "How could the US talk about a package deal without abandoning its hostile policy and guaranteeing security and peace for us?" Ri was quoted as saying.

    Clinton had earlier raised concerns at growing ties between North Korea and military-ruled Myanmar, including the possible transfer of nuclear technology to the Southeast Asian nation.











    SOURCE: Agencies


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