CHINA-NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR North Korea not interested in nuclear disarmament talks - ambassador to China

Record ID: 145914

  • Title: CHINA-NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR North Korea not interested in nuclear disarmament talks - ambassador to China
  • Date: 28th July 2015
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JULY 28, 2015) (REUTERS) NORTH KOREA'S AMBASSADOR, JI JAE RYONG, WALKING IN FOR NEWS CONFERENCE PORTRAITS OF FORMER NORTH KOREAN LEADERS KIM IL-SUNG AND KIM JONG-IL NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) NORTH KOREA'S AMBASSADOR, JI JAE RYONG, SAYING: "The situation of DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) is totally different to Iran. We are a nuclear state, both in name and reality. As a nuclear state, we have our own interests in a nuclear programme." MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) NORTH KOREA'S AMBASSADOR, JI JAE RYONG SAYING: "We do not have any interest at all in dialogue for unilaterally freezing or giving up our nukes." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS JI STANDING UP AND WALKING AWAY EXTERIOR OF NORTH KOREAN EMBASSY IN BEIJING NATIONAL FLAG OF NORTH KOREA
  • Embargoed: 12th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5MDADKFAZMVA61KADM8OX8PD9
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: North Korea's Ambassador to China on Tuesday (July 28) said that Pyongyang was not interested in dialogue to give up its nuclear capabilities.
    Ji Jae Ryong made the comments during a rare news conference held at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on Tuesday morning.
    A U.S. envoy said on Monday (July 27) that the recent nuclear deal with Iran showed the United States can be flexible with a willing counterpart, including North Korea if it decides it wants talks on its nuclear program.
    However, Ji said North Korea's situation could not be compared with that of Iran's.
    "The situation of DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) is totally different to Iran. We are a nuclear state, both in name and reality. As a nuclear state, we have our own interests in a nuclear programme," Ji told reporters, referring to North Korea by the initials of its formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
    "We do not have any interest at all in dialogue for unilaterally freezing or giving up our nukes," Ji added.
    North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests, the last in February 2013, and now calls itself a nuclear weapons state.
    The United States and five world powers struck a historic deal with Iran this month that will limit Iran's nuclear capabilities in exchange for lifting U.S., EU and UN sanctions that have crippled its economy.
    North Korea is also heavily sanctioned by the United States, European Union and the United Nations for procuring equipment related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
    News reports say the North has recently upgraded a missile platform and may be readying to launch a long-range missile around the time of a national anniversary in October.
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