Article Search

 North Korea denies hostile intent
    July 07 2006 at 07:20AM Get IOL on your
mobile at m.iol.co.za

By Jonathan Thatcher

Seoul - Reclusive North Korea insisted on Friday that its missile launches were not an attack on anyone, as a senior United States envoy arrived in Asia to push Washington's case that a dangerous Pyongyang must be brought to heel.

The United States has stumbled in attempts to impose United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea for its July 4 missile tests because of opposition from Russia and China.

"This (the missile launches) is not an attack on someone," North Korea's councillor at the UN mission in Geneva, Choe Myong-nam, told South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

'A few hard weeks'
Defying near-universal condemnation of the firings, North Korea has vowed to carry out more launches and has threatened to use force if the international community tries to stop it.
Continues Below ↓





"From an international point of view, it is not fair to say who can do one thing and who can't," Choe said. "The same applies to possessing nuclear weapons."

Washington sent its envoy on North Korea, Christopher Hill, to Asia to seek a unified stand. His first stop was Beijing, the nearest the communist state has to an international ally.

"It is in our interests that we send a clear message to the leaders of North Korea," US President George Bush told a news conference on Thursday.

But Bush rejected what many believe North Korea's leader internationally isolated leader Kim Jong-il really wants - direct talks between US and North Korean officials.

"I think the best way to solve this problem diplomatically is for there to be other nations around the table with us, so that when he looks out and he looks at the table, he looks at the world."

Chinese President Hu Jintao has told Bush that he opposes "anything that would threaten peace and stability" on the Korean peninsula, the White House said.


Continues...


Email StoryPrint Story
BOOKMARK THIS STORY
Social bookmarking allows users to save and categorise a personal collection of bookmarks and share them with others. This is different to using your own browser bookmarks which are available using the menus within your web browser.

Use the links below to share this article on the social bookmarking site of your choice.

Read more about social bookmarking at Wikipedia - Social Bookmarking

muti



     Related Articles
More Asia stories

Watch IOLs latest videos on YouTube Join IOLs Facebook page Follow IOL on Twitter





     Online Services

Date Your Destiny
 
I'm a 46 year old man looking to meet women between the ages of 40 and 52.
 

     More Services

     More Asia Stories

     Breaking News      Most Read Stories
      Top News Stories
      Top World Stories
      Top Reads - Yesterday



     Entertainment      Motoring
Madonna's manager to be new Idol judge
'He's lying. He's guilty'
Jennifer gets Butler birthday gift

     Business
Labour market recovery will take months: union
New Zim law say blacks must own 51 percent of all firms
China, India sales pump up Coca-Cola profits
FIRST DRIVES: Hyundai's new 'Tucson' and sexy Sonata
Drivers and cars ill-equipped for when panic strikes
Patrick ready for Nascar debut after baptism of fire
Classic machines howl at Killarney Historic meeting
Yamaha, Ducati set pace at Sepang

     Travel
SA's first liquor-free hotel
Gateway to love is around the corner
Explore the real SA for yourself
Full-body scanners ready to boost security
Fun on islands in the sun
     Careers
Changing lanes in the career highway
Getting to grips with the transport industry
To be your own boss, believe in yourself first
Salary survey puts unstable economy into the equation
Development of child is key