Wednesday, September 9, 2009

North Korea extols "friendship" as U.S. presses sanctions

And here would be North Korea's Response , Funny how they are trying to play like nothing is going on !


SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea celebrated its founding on Wednesday by pledging to pursue friendly global relations and signaling it was still open to dialogue after Washington froze the assets of firms linked to its arms trade.

Analysts said destitute North Korea, hit by U.N. sanctions for a nuclear test in May, has been playing a tactical game with the international community by making a series of conciliatory gestures in August followed this month by a statement saying it had advanced in enriching uranium.

On the anniversary of the North's founding, leaders put aside their usual heated rhetoric directed at traditional adversaries South Korea and the United States.

"(We) will boost the solidarity with the peoples of all the countries in the world advocating independence, consistently holding fast to the idea of independence, peace and friendship," the North's premier said in comments carried on it KCNA news agency.

Peter Beck, research fellow at Stanford University and a specialist in Korean affairs, said Pyongyang was trying to gain the upper hand by forcing regional powers to guess its intentions.

"By being nice, the North wants to relieve any pressure they are feeling by the sanctions," he said. "They are also making it pretty clear that they are intent on being a nuclear power."
....


No comments: