North Korea claims nuclear test
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i dont believe NK has the capability to possess a 3G nuke weapon.
Anycase this incident is interesting to see how Beijing reacts, as of now they are doing pretty much the right thing IMO. still trying not to provoke the North too much but still reaffirm their stance on the test. Not opposing sanctions is a testament to their stance.
Anyform of military deployment right now might push the North too hard and might cause them to react harshly. seriously this world has enough of wars. Poor SK, they will get hit the hardest. Japan on the other hand i dont really feel sorry for them. -
China has been humiliated by North Korea's nuclear test because of its implacable support for Pyongyang and appeals from Beijing that the test not go ahead, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Tuesday.
He was speaking after carpeting North Korean Ambassador Chon Jae Hong over the test and pledging Canberra's support for any sanctions the United Nations may impose.
'I said it was one thing to be offensive to the United States and Britain and Australia and their allies, but it's another thing to treat the Chinese, who have been such stalwart supporters of North Korea for such a long time, in this way,' Downer told reporters after the 15-minute meeting with Chon at Parliament House.
Downer added: 'North Korea have humiliated the Chinese government. The Chinese government had been working intensely to try to stop this testing taking place.'
Noting that China provided 80 per cent of humanitarian aid and that half of the Stalinist state's trade was with China, Downer said that the 'North Koreans have treated China extremely shabbily in this particular situation.'
Australia, which is one of the few countries to maintain embassies in both North Korea and South Korea, said no further visas would be issued to North Korean nationals.
'North Korea depends on food aid from the international community, including from Australia, to keep its people alive while it spends billions and billions of dollars developing nuclear weapons,' Downer said after admonishing Chon.
Questioned by reporters on his way into Parliament House for the meeting with Downer, the ambassador said his country had developed nuclear weapons for security reasons.
'We are under extreme threat of United States of nuclear war,' Chon said.
Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating said a nuclear North Korea would prompt Japan to go the same way.
'My great concern is that Japan may use the impasse with North Korea and this testing of nuclear weapons to move into nuclear weapons itself, eschewing the nuclear protection provided to it by the United States under its umbrella,' Downer said. 'Such an outcome would be very affronting and confronting to the Chinese, encouraging them to adopt an altogether different posture in respect to Japan. And if China adopts an altogether different posture in respect to Japan, the world we know today changes."
Instability over the crisis is likely to hit fuel prices in Australia, with independent watchdog Fueltrac warning consumers to expect a rise in the coming week.
The crisis may also derail India's efforts to buy Australian uranium amid fears of a regional arms race. -
Chinese President Hu Jintao late on Monday held talks with U.S. President George W. Bush in a previously arranged telephone call, exchanging views on bilateral ties and the nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
During the talks, Hu expressed China's willingness to work with the U.S. side, in a bid to promote the comprehensive and in-depth development of the China-U.S. constructive partnership.
He said that the leaders of both countries had maintained frequent exchanges of views and consultations on major international and regional issues of common concern, which was conducive to the sound and stable development of bilateral relations, and which was also in the interest of safeguarding peace and stability in Northeast Asia and that of the world at large.
The Chinese president's remarks were echoed by his U.S. counterpart.
Concerning the nuclear test by the DPRK, Hu said that the Chinese Foreign Ministry had issued a statement, demanding the DPRK to stop any activity that might worsen the situation while calling for calm responses from all parties concerned and urging them to stick to the policy of a peaceful resolution of the issue through dialogues and consultations.
The Chinese president said that it was China's firm and consistent stance to realize non-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and oppose proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Bush, for his part, said that the nuclear test by the DPRK was a dangerous move, which deserved a public, calm and resolute response from the international community.
The United States considers that the nuclear issue of the Korean peninsula can still be solved through diplomatic channels, and will continue to communicate with the Chinese side to this effect, Bush said.
U.S. Congressman Mark Kirk (R- IL), co-chairman of the House U.S.-China Working Group, told Xinhua on Monday that he thanks China for timely informing the United States of the claimed nuclear test by the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
"I want to thank China for giving early warning on the test. We understand that North Korea informed China 20 minutes ahead of the test. China immediately informed the United States. A lot of people in the United States appreciate that," Kirk said in an interview with Xinhua.
Kirk also commended China's "very positive" role in trying to resolve the DPRK nuclear issue. "The Chinese government was very clear against upsetting the balance in Asia and Chinese government 's position after the test was very encouraging,"; he said.
After the DPRK claimed that it had conducted a nuclear test, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the Chinese government is "resolutely" opposed to the nuclear test and demands the DPRK to live up to its commitment to denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
"I think that means China is right in the line with all the other major powers in Asia," Kirk said, adding that both the United States and China are working very closely together and "the statements they made in public are very similar."
As the DPRK nuclear test might start an arms race in Asia, Kirk said the Bush administration will ask China to restrict trade with the DPRK and cooperate on making sure that the DPRK can not ship any nuclear weapons to other countries. "China has a key role to play in the crisis," he said.
"The United States and China are key players in resolving the crisis, and if the United States and China speak with one voice, we have a very strong opportunity to resolve this," Kirk said.
As to the U.S. Congress, Kirk said when it returns to session in mid-November, it will call for "very strong" actions against the DPRK, including sanctions and searching all DPRK ships to make sure nuclear weapons are not leaving the country.
Earlier Monday, U.S. President George W. Bush said the United States condemns the claimed nuclear test and demands immediate UN Security Council action.
"Such a claim itself constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The United States condemns this provocative act," Bush said in a statement.
Bush said he has held conversations with leaders of China, South Korea, Russia and Japan. "We reaffirm our commitment to a nuclear-free Korea peninsula, and all of us agree that the proclaimed actions taken by North Korea are unacceptable and deserve an immediate response by the United Nations Security Council," Bush said.
The DPRK claimed Sunday night that it had successfully set off its first nuclear test.
The nuclear test came about a week after the country announced it would undertake an unprecedented nuclear test under the condition where safety is firmly guaranteed.
According to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency, there was no such danger as radioactive emission in the test as it was carried out under "a scientific consideration and with careful calculation."; -
kim jung il's irrational.
it would be safer for us if President Hu Jintao's administration runs north korea for the time being.
give Kim a fat package and he's more than happy to be on his way.
north koreans won't mind because china's been their long time benefactor and ally even as the rest of the world shuns them -
The United States said Tuesday it is continuing to asses whether the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) actually detonated a nuclear bomb.
"We're continuing to assess the event to determine the veracity of the claim made by the North Korean government that they made an underground nuclear test," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said at a briefing.
"There will be a period of time where more information is being gathered, and at some point we'll know more about this test," he said.
Earlier Tuesday, White House spokesman Tony Snow admitted that it takes time to know whether the DPRK actually tested a nuclear bomb and the United States might never get a conclusive answer.
"This may take some time, it's a complex undertaking. There is a remote possibility that we'll never be able to determine fully," Snow said.
The DPRK claimed Sunday night that it had successfully set off its first nuclear test. However, U.S. intelligence officials have voiced doubt over the claimed nuclear test as the seismic readings were shy of a typical nuclear detonation.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday that the United States will not invade or attack the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
President George W. Bush has said that the United States has no intention to invade or attack the DPRK and "I don't know what more they want," Rice told the CNN.
Rice also rejected direct talks with the DPRK and demanded the DPRK to abandon nuclear weapons.
"What Kim Jong Il should understand is that if he verifiably gives up his nuclear weapons program, there is a better path for his people, who are oppressed and downtrodden, and hungry for that matter," Rice said.
The DPRK claimed Sunday night that it had successfully set off its first nuclear test. The Bush administration has since sought immediate action from the UN Security Council.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday that the sanctions to be imposed on the DPRK will focus primarily on not allowing the DPRK government "in any way to further develop its WMD or missile technology programs or in any way to benefit from those programs in the sense that it would export know- how, technology or material." -
Oh my! We best leave him to it then... -
Hmm...they going to launch a nuclear tipped LRBM to hit US?
The LRBM that failed the previous test and they dare to put a nuke on it and shot it at the US?
Are they mad?