October 21, 2006

U.S. says North Korea seeks to escalate crisis

By Sue Pleming

MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cast doubt on Saturday on reports North Korea had pledged to stop nuclear tests, saying it seemed bent instead on escalating the crisis.

News reports had raised hopes of an easing of tension on Friday by saying North Korean leader Kim Jong-il told China's special envoy Tang Jiaxuan this week that he planned no further nuclear tests.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice looks back as she boards her plane at Beijing airport October 21, 2006. Rice cast doubt on Saturday on reports North Korea had pledged to stop nuclear tests, saying it seemed bent instead on escalating the crisis. (REUTERS/Jason Lee)

But Rice met Tang in person in Beijing on Friday and then told reporters travelling with her from there to Moscow that he had given no sign that China had achieved such a diplomatic breakthrough.

"Tang did not tell me that Kim Jong-il either apologised for the test or said that he would not ever test again," she said.

Russia is the last stop on her five-day trip, aimed at shoring up support for U.N. sanctions imposed on Pyongyang a week ago to punish it for conducting an underground nuclear test on Oct. 9.

Rice played down news reports that Kim told Beijing he "regretted" the test, which was condemned internationally, including by China, the North's closest ally and economic lifeline.

"The Chinese did not, in a fairly thorough briefing to me, say anything about an apology," she said.

"The North Koreans, I think, would like to see an escalation of the tension."

She also questioned whether Pyongyang intended to return to six-party talks, which have been stalled for nearly a year.

Kim Kye-gwan, North Korea's top nuclear negotiator, earlier told U.S. television that Pyongyang hoped to return to the table.

Rice said before leaving China that the unpredictable communist state's tone was still belligerent.

Rice's visits to Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing were overshadowed by speculation that North Korea would conduct a second nuclear test.

On Friday, reports that Kim had told Tang no more nuclear tests were planned had raised hopes that the crisis was cooling.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a diplomatic source as saying: "I understand he (Kim) expressed clearly there was no plan to conduct nuclear tests."

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