N Korea raises nuclear stakes

[goobergunch]

North Korea has said it has no choice but to increase its nuclear deterrent following multilateral talks in Beijing.

The statement, made by a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman, also said Pyongyang is not interested in holding any more talks on the future of its controversial nuclear programme.

"The talks have made us believe that we have no other choice but to strengthen a nuclear deterrent force as a self-defensive means," the unnamed spokesman told the North's official KCNA news agency.

Washington had said it was "pleased" at the outcome of the three-day talks in the Chinese capital , which involved the US, North and South Korea, Russia, China and Japan.

more...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3193587.stm

[Thoth]

1. Shit...

it seemed things were moving in a slightly better direction just 2 days ago.
The administration better be willing to "negotiate" and swallow a bit of pride,
though unfortunately, the Shrubenfurher is unlikely to be willing to talk. The stakes are high, though I did
read in today's Boston Globe that N.Korea has a history of talking tough with later willingness to
make a deal.

I wouldn't want to be living in the far east right now...

[tah]

2. North Korea

The only thing that is predicatble about NK is that they often do unpredictable things. They just don't seem to follow the normal rules of diplomacy. The whole exercise appears to be an attempt to blackmail the Americans and others into bailing out the NK economy. With Bush in power I'm not sure that such a policy will work.
I believe that China holds the key to what will happen next and the Chinese cannot be pleased with North Korea's last belicose statement.