North Korea Says it Plans to Test Nukes

Tensions may be higher now than at the start of the six-way meeting on North Korea's nuclear program. North Korean foreign minister Kim Yong-Il accused Japanese and Russian delegates of lying at the instruction of the United States when they tried to point out positive aspects of the American presentation. He then said that North Korea intends to formally declare that it has nuclear weapons, has the ability to deliver them, and plans to conduct a test. These belligerent statements prompted anger from Chinese and American delegates, but officials say they will nevertheless continue negotiating a balance between US demands for an unequivocal end to North Korea's nuclear program and the communist country's insistence on security guarantees from Washington and humanitarian aid. The US has consistently refused to make concessions and North Korea says it will not abandon its position as long as the US clings to what Pyongyang perceives as a hostile policy. Thus, as the second day of talks concludes, the only agreement to be expected from this meeting is for the organization of future talks. – YaleGlobal