North Korea on Wednesday lashed out at the United States for
blocking the resumption of six-party talks, the country's leading
official newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported.
North Korea said the United States has only pretended to make
efforts to resume the six-party talks. "In fact, it is none other
than the US which is blocking off all the access routes to them,"
said a signed comment published by the newspaper.
The comment also accused the United States of preparing a series
of military exercises and arms buildup against North Korea. It said
North Korea would use its "strong self-defense deterrent" to
"shatter the moves of the US imperialists to provoke a war."
North Korea conducted its first nuclear test on Oct. 9 last
year, prompting a harsh reaction from the international community
and sanctions from the UN Security Council.
US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill and North
Korea's negotiator Kim Kye-Gwan??met in Berlin on Tuesday
to discuss how they could resume the six-party talks.
(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2007)
