28 October 2002
Moscow unconvinced North Korea is pursuing a nuclear weapons program - report
yahoo.com

"We have not received any documented evidence about the existence of such a program either from the North Korean or the American sides," Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov was quoted as saying.

Washington said earlier this month that North Korean officials acknowledged they had a nuclear weapons program during talks with visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly in Pyongyang on Oct. 3-5. U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton came to Russia last week to present Russian officials with evidence of the alleged uranium enrichment program.

On Friday, North Korean Ambassador Pak Gil Yon told the United Nations (news - web sites) that Pyongyang "was entitled to possess not only nuclear weapons but any type of weapon more powerful than that so as to defend its sovereignty and right to existence."

Pak refused to elaborate and wouldn't answer any questions on the nature of the North's nuclear program.

"To our mind, this wording does not mean the existence of the program," Losyukov said, referring to Pak's statement.

He added that the United States also had not confirmed its allegations "with documented evidence."

"Therefore there is uncertainty in this question," Losyukov said, according to ITAR-Tass. "The existence or nonexistence of a nuclear program in North Korea remains unclear."

Moscow reaffirmed, however, its support of a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, which is "in the interests of all members of the region," Losyukov said.

Despite warmer relations with the United States, Russia has maintained close ties with North Korea - which U.S. President George W. Bush has dubbed part of an "axis of evil" because of its alleged efforts to obtain weapons of mass destruction and sponsorship of international terrorism. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il visited Russia in August for the second consecutive summer.

On Monday, North Korean air force officials began a five-day visit to Russia, meeting with Russian Air Force Commander in chief Vladimir Mikhailov, according to Russian news reports.