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US 'cannot allow' nuclear N Korea US 'cannot allow' nuclear N Korea
(about 1 hour later)
The US will not accept a North Korea armed with nuclear weapons, a top US envoy has said, after Pyongyang announced plans for a nuclear test.The US will not accept a North Korea armed with nuclear weapons, a top US envoy has said, after Pyongyang announced plans for a nuclear test.
North Korea must choose either to have a future or to have nuclear weapons "but it cannot have them both", top US negotiator Christopher Hill said.North Korea must choose either to have a future or to have nuclear weapons "but it cannot have them both", top US negotiator Christopher Hill said.
He did not specify how the US would respond if a nuclear test took place.He did not specify how the US would respond if a nuclear test took place.
The US wants other countries to unite against the test plans, but talks at the UN have been inconclusive.The US wants other countries to unite against the test plans, but talks at the UN have been inconclusive.
"At this stage, there's division," said the US envoy to the UN, John Bolton. "At this stage, there's division," said John Bolton, US envoy to the UN.
I am not prepared at this point to say what we are going to do but I am prepared to say we are not going to wait for a nuclear North Korea Christopher HillUS Assistant Secretary of State Anxiety in AsiaI am not prepared at this point to say what we are going to do but I am prepared to say we are not going to wait for a nuclear North Korea Christopher HillUS Assistant Secretary of State Anxiety in Asia
However, state department spokesman Tom Casey said the US hoped to see "some action there in the near future". Japan was leading efforts to agree a strongly-worded UN statement.
But China has appealed for calm, saying it hopes North Korea will "exercise the necessary calm and restraint", and calling for the issue to be handled in revived six-nation talks.
Russia and South Korea have said that North Korea's plans to conduct a nuclear test are unacceptable.Russia and South Korea have said that North Korea's plans to conduct a nuclear test are unacceptable.
Their foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Ban Ki-moon, agreed in a telephone conversation that a test would only aggravate the situation, Russia said.Their foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Ban Ki-moon, agreed in a telephone conversation that a test would only aggravate the situation, Russia said.
The new Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, is to visit China and South Korea in the next few days. The new Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, is to visit China and South Korea in the next few days to discuss the crisis.
Diplomatic driveDiplomatic drive
Mr Hill, Washington's top envoy at stalled six-party talks with North Korea, said the US was rallying its allies in a diplomatic push against Pyongyang. Mr Hill, Washington's top envoy at the stalled six-party talks with North Korea, said the US was rallying its allies in a diplomatic push against Pyongyang.
KOREAN NUCLEAR CRISIS Sept 2005:At first hailed as a breakthrough, North Korea agrees to give up nuclear activitiesNext day, N Korea says it will not scrap its activities unless it gets a civilian nuclear reactorUS imposes financial sanctions on N Korea businessesJuly 2006: N Korea test-fires seven missilesUN Security Council votes to impose sanctions over the testsOct 2006: N Korea threatens nuclear test Watching for a test N Korea nuclear timelineKOREAN NUCLEAR CRISIS Sept 2005:At first hailed as a breakthrough, North Korea agrees to give up nuclear activitiesNext day, N Korea says it will not scrap its activities unless it gets a civilian nuclear reactorUS imposes financial sanctions on N Korea businessesJuly 2006: N Korea test-fires seven missilesUN Security Council votes to impose sanctions over the testsOct 2006: N Korea threatens nuclear test Watching for a test N Korea nuclear timeline
"I am not prepared at this point to say what we are going to do but I am prepared to say we are not going to wait for a nuclear North Korea, we are not going to accept it," he said."I am not prepared at this point to say what we are going to do but I am prepared to say we are not going to wait for a nuclear North Korea, we are not going to accept it," he said.
He said North Korea had reached "a very important fork in the road - it can have a future or it can have these [nuclear] weapons but it cannot have them both".He said North Korea had reached "a very important fork in the road - it can have a future or it can have these [nuclear] weapons but it cannot have them both".
Mr Hill said the message had been conveyed to Pyongyang's envoy at the UN but had yet to elicit a response.Mr Hill said the message had been conveyed to Pyongyang's envoy at the UN but had yet to elicit a response.
Mr Hill, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have been in touch with their counterparts in Asia and Europe over the North Korea's planned nuclear test. The test threat has also caused alarm in South Korea. South Korean Vice-Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan warned that a successful North Korean test could trigger an Asian arms race.
They want to send "a strong and unified signal... that these kinds of threats are certainly not acceptable", a state department spokesman said. A test "could provide a pretext for Japan's nuclear armament," he said.
Mr Hill has had nuclear talks with North Korea in the past while Mr Burns plays a key role in America's diplomatic efforts to combat Iran's nuclear programme. "This will prompt countermoves by China or Russia and lead to a change in the balance of power in north-east Asia," he said.
SanctionsSanctions
China has appealed for calm saying it hopes North Korea will "exercise the necessary calm and restraint".
It says the issue should be handled in a revival of six-nation talks.
HAVE YOUR SAY North Korea is keen to show it will not be pushed around by anyone Tim, London Send us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAY North Korea is keen to show it will not be pushed around by anyone Tim, London Send us your comments
North Korea announced its plans for a nuclear bomb test on Tuesday, saying it would boost security in the face of US hostility. North Korea announced its plans for a nuclear bomb test on Tuesday, saying it would boost security in the face of US hostility, though it did not set a date for a test.
It is thought to have developed a handful of warheads but never before announced it would test one.It is thought to have developed a handful of warheads but never before announced it would test one.
US and South Korean reports suggest the North has at least one underground test site.US and South Korean reports suggest the North has at least one underground test site.
The North appears increasingly angry at sanctions imposed by the US and other countries on North Korean businesses accused of arms sales and illegal activities.The North appears increasingly angry at sanctions imposed by the US and other countries on North Korean businesses accused of arms sales and illegal activities.
In 2002, it restarted its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and forced two UN nuclear monitors to leave the country. It is unclear how far work has progressed at the plant since then.In 2002, it restarted its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and forced two UN nuclear monitors to leave the country. It is unclear how far work has progressed at the plant since then.