North Korea slams US for ‘leading region to war’

NORTH Korea accused the United States of leading the region toward war yesterday in an apparent attempt by the communist nation to increase pressure on negotiators holding a second day of talks on its nuclear programs.

There was no indication whether any progress had come from the second day of meetings yesterday.

The countries ended talks in Beijing on issues including North Korea’s nuclear programs yesterday, one day earlier than originally planned, Secretary of State Colin Powell said.

“The North Koreans should not leave the meetings in Beijing, now that they have come to a conclusion ... with the slightest impression that the United States and its partners will be intimidated by bellicose statements or by threats,” Mr Powell told the Asia-Pacific Council.

Mr Powell said bilateral talks might take place today, however, between China and the United States and China and North Korea.

China was a party to the two days of talks.

The chief US negotiator, Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, declined to answer questions upon returning to his hotel in the afternoon, saying only that the sides “had talks”.

North Korea continued to try to ratchet up the pressure and is believed to want economic aid in exchange for concessions.

North Korea’s leaders are outraged over US moves to cut off oil shipments because of its suspected nuclear weapons program, and fears it is next on Washington’s list for military action.

“The situation on the Korean Peninsula is so tense that a war may break out any moment,” North Korea’s KCNA news agency reported.

KCNA said the war in Iraq had shown the only way for a country to protect itself was to have a strong military deterrent.

The North’s Korea People’s Army vowed to “put all people under arms and turn the whole country into a fortress” and urged its soldiers to become “human bombs ” to protect leader Kim Jong II.

However, North Korea said it was still ready to settle the dispute over its suspected nuclear weapons programs.