US: North Is Holding Talks ‘Hostage’

U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Stephen G. Rademaker announced at the Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs on March 28, “The United States will take all possible steps to protect itself from a variety of North Korean illegal activities, such as counterfeit dollar bills, smuggling, money laundering, and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) deals.”

He strongly criticized the North for making lifting the financial sanctions a precondition for the resumption of the six-party talks, saying, “I’m afraid that Pyongyang is taking the six-party talks hostage.”

Rademaker added, “The U.S is fully prepared to come back to the talks in order to fulfill its commitments under the terms of the joint statement.”