North Korea Reportedly Says It Will Accept Peace Treaty Negotiations With Washington But Rejects Talks On Abandoning Nuclear Program
On Saturday, North Korea reportedly expressed their willingness to cooperate in peace treaty negotiations with Washington, but strongly rejects opening talks regarding abandonment of their nuclear program, reported Fox News.
The announcement was made by the North Korean foreign ministry just a day after U.S. President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Guen Hye met in Washington and agreed to discuss with Pyongyang sanctions if they will push through with dissolving their nuclear program.
"If the United States insists on taking a different path, the Korean peninsula will only see our unlimited nuclear deterrent being strengthened further," stated the North.
According to International Business Times, during the joint news conference of the U.S. and South Korea on Friday, Obama sent a message that likened North Korea's case with that of Iran's on sanctions and denuclearization.
"At the point where Pyongyang says, we're interested in seeing relief from sanctions and improved relations, and we are prepared to have a serious conversation about denuclearization -- I think it's fair to say we'll be right there at the table," said Obama. "But we haven't even gotten to that point yet because there's been no indication on the part of the North Koreans, as there was with the Iranians, that they could foresee a future in which they did not possess or were not pursuing nuclear weapons."
The U.S. and South Korea also released a joint statement saying that once North Korea launches another rocket into space or conducts a nuclear explosion test, "it will face consequences, including seeking further significant measures by the U.N. Security Council."
North and South Korea are technically still at war under a truce agreement both parties have signed in 1953. In 2008, North Korea reportedly walked out of the so-called six-party talks that included the U.S. and four other countries and continued on conducting two nuclear tests, noted Reuters on Saturday.
According to the North, the only solution to end tensions with Washington is to sign a peace treaty.
