THE PRESIDENT: Last night the government of North Korea
proclaimed to the world that it had conducted a nuclear test. We're
working to confirm North Korea's claim. Nonetheless, such a claim itself
constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The United
States condemns this provocative act. Once again North Korea has defied
the will of the international community, and the international community
will respond.
This was confirmed this morning in conversations I had with
leaders of China, and South Korea, Russia, and Japan. We reaffirmed our
commitment to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, and all of us agreed that
the proclaimed actions taken by North Korea are unacceptable and deserve
an immediate response by the United Nations Security Council.
The North Korean regime remains one of the world's leading
proliferator of missile technology, including transfers to Iran and
Syria. The transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to
states or non-state entities would be considered a grave threat to the
United States, and we would hold North Korea fully accountable of the
consequences of such action.
The United States remains committed to diplomacy, and we will
continue to protect ourselves and our interests. I reaffirmed to our
allies in the region, including South Korea and Japan, that the United
States will meet the full range of our deterrent and security
commitments.
Threats will not lead to a brighter future for the North Korean
people, nor weaken the resolve of the United States and our allies to
achieve the de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Today's claim by
North Korea serves only to raise tensions, while depriving the North
Korean people of the increased prosperity and better relations with the
world offered by the implementation of the joint statement of the
six-party talks. The oppressed and impoverished people of North Korea
deserve that brighter future.
Thank you. |