Time Running Out to Get N.Korea to Talks -US Expert

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http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5670599&cKey=1113054658000

BEIJING (Reuters) - North Korea is taking an increasingly hardline stance on talks on its nuclear ambitions a U.S. expert said on Saturday, after five days of talks with leaders of the isolated regime.

Selig Harrison, of the Washington-based Center for International Policy, said Pyongyang was ready to return to six-party talks, but that the opportunity to persuade it to dismantle its nuclear programs had been lost.

The best that the United States, Japan, Russia, South Korea and China could now hope for at talks that have been stalled since last June was a freeze of existing programs, and time was running short even for that, Harrison said. snip

He also urged the Bush administration to make that gesture to allow for negotiations on a nuclear freeze before North Korea reprocesses more spent fuel rods, the process of converting fuel extracted from nuclear reactors into material suitable for nuclear weapons or passes on its technology. snip

But Harrison also cautioned against the United States using economic sanctions against the North, saying leaders had warned they would retaliate militarily if the Washington attempted to enforce any sanctions with a naval blockade.

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Reading between the lines here it appears the US knows NKorea is preparing to detonate a nuclear device very soon. Like within a week or two. I may be wrong? But I don't think so.

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1. North Koreans asked to get combat-ready against US invasion

http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en77977&F_catID=&f_type=source

SEOUL: North Korea's army chief on Friday ordered all citizens to be combat-ready for a US invasion and said the communist country would increase its nuclear deterrent unless Washington drops its alleged hostile policy.

Vice Marshal Kim Young Chun, chief of the Korean People's Army, said "all servicepersons and citizens should firmly arm themselves'' and "keep themselves in full combat readiness to deal sternly with the US imperialists' new scheme to wage war,'' according to a report by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency.

"The more the United States stubbornly pursues its hostile policy ... we will continue increasing our nuclear deterrent for self-defence,'' Kim said at a national meeting commemorating the 12th anniversary of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's becoming chairman of the National Defense Commission.

The remarks Friday, echoing similar recent rhetoric, comes amid international efforts to lure North Korea back to talks aimed at convincing it to give up its nuclear weapons programmes. In February, Pyongyang claimed it had already developed nuclear weapons and would boycott the talks indefinitely. The North has stayed away from the negotiations that last met in June, citing what it calls a hostile US policy. The United States has repeatedly denied any intention to invade the North.

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2. Ah, North Korea.....the United States' 'undisciplined child'.

This whole scenario reminds me of a family I know. They are well-to-do. They've got money. People look up to them. They look good. Unfortunately, their youngest son is a ne'er do well. He's showing all the signs of moving into a life of substance abuse, running out late at night, getting in trouble with Juvenile authorities, etc etc.

It's causing no end of grief to the "beautiful" family. Their kid is hurting their image. A.J. is screwing everything up for them. They've tried everything: bribing, threats, cajoling, crying, you name it.

Mom is definitely having problems with this. I believe she's taking medication for it. Don't know about the dad, but it's definitely causing an upheaval in that family.

Funny thing is; the more they clamp down on A.J., the more he acts out.

Enter Kim Jong Il, the Little Man from N. Korea. Kim is our A.J. The more our economy starts to sag, as oil prices go through the roof, as Washington desperately tries to figure out a way to secure the oil which is slipping through their fingers, Kim shows up.

At the worst time possible, the little Narcissist starts threatening to drop some nukes on the US West Coast. He is a huge distraction, but he IS our creation. So let's figure out what to do with Junior.