World Tribune.com


U.S. won't stop dialogue with N. Korea even after missile test

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Sunday, July 4, 1999

WASHINGTON -- The United States will continue its dialogue with North Korea even if Pyongyang rejects appeals and launches an intercontinental ballistic missile.

A senior State Department official said on Thursday that Washington has urged Pyongyang not to go ahead with plans to launch the Taepo Dong missile, with a range of 6,000 kilometers [4,000 miles] and capable of striking western United States.

"We have made it very clear that we believe that, you know, the acquisition of long-range missile capabilities is destabilizing, and we have warned North Korea that a missile test of any such system would have serious consequences," the official said in a briefing. "I don't think I could be any clearer than that."

But the official said the United States would not stop its current dialogue with Pyongyang should it defy U.S. wishes and fire the missile. He said Washington will exert a maximum effort "to try to persuade North Korea not to go forward with another test and to have some discussions, you know, beyond that if they do test, you know, how to respond to it."

Diplomats said Japan and South Korea have urged for a more vigorous policy against any Pyongyang launch. Japanese officials, they said, are prepared to end aid to North Korea should the missile be tested. Reconciliation efforts by both Japan and South Korea have been stalemated by Pyongyang's reported intention to test the Taepo Dong II.

North Korea has rejected appeals to halt missile tests. Pyongyang said that a previous test was that of a failed satellite launch.

"From our point of view, it is the vehicle and the range that is the most serious thing, and that's why we have focused on it," the State Department official said. "And so we do not think simply labeling something as a satellite makes the issue go away."

The official said he was not concerned with reports that South Korea was seeking to develop ballistic missiles to respond to the threat by its northern neighbor. He said Washington is working with Seoul on ballistic missile defense.

"I think that the basic priority of both the United States and the Republic of Korea is on the diplomatic side, meaning trying to deal with the North Korean missile threat, not by counterproliferation, but rather by persuading the North Koreans to cease pursuing these capabilities," the official said.

On Thursday, Defense Secretary William Cohen refused to discuss the forthcoming North Korean missile launch. "I really don't want to comment on any intelligence matters," he said. "We follow it very closely."

Sunday, July 4, 1999



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