N. Korea Seeks Talks With U.S. Over Missile Launch
Jacob Cherian - All Headline News Staff Writer Seoul, South Korea (AHN) - A day after it announced the right to test-fire a long range missile, N. Korea has asked for direct talks with the United States concerning the issue. Intelligence reports have confirmed fuelling of a long-range missile in N. Korea that could reach U.S. terriotory. U.S. and Japan have proposed sanctions anticipating the launch. The UN Security Council is also preparing retaliatory measures should there be a missile launch. N. Korea published a statement on Wednesday stating that the self-imposed moratorium on testing of long-range missiles since 1999 was not applicable since talks with Washington have been discontinued. However, it made recommendations that should direct talks with U.S. resume, the launch would be held off. Han Song Ryol, deputy chief of North Korea's mission to the UN told S. Korea's Yonhap news agency in an interview from New York, "Some say our missile test launch is a violation of the moratorium, but this is not the case. North Korea as a sovereign state has the right to develop, deploy, test fire and export a missile. He added, "We are aware of the U.S. concerns about our missile test-launch. So our position is that we should resolve the issue through negotiations." Korean Central News Agency, N. Korea's official news agency also released a report on Wednesday stating that U.S.officials urged Pyongyang to hold direct |
