July 24, 2008	Thursday	Rajab 20, 1429

SINGAPORE: North Korea pledged on Wednesday to fulfil its commitments on scrapping its nuclear programme at a high-level meeting here, while calling on the United States to drop its “hostile policy.” During an informal six-nation foreign ministers’ meeting that included US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-Chun vowed his nation would carry out its denuclearisation pledges.

“Pak Ui-Chun emphasised the need for full implementation by the six parties,” North Korean foreign ministry spokesman Ri Tong-Il told reporters following talks that also included China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.

“He further expressed the willingness of the DPRK (North Korea) government to fully implement (its commitments), closely following the implementation of the other parties on the principle of action for action.” On July 12, Pyongyang agreed to completely disable its main weapons-grade plutonium-producing facilities by the end of October and to allow thorough site inspections to verify a June declaration of its nuclear programmes.

In return, North Korea would be given energy aid and diplomatic concessions.—AFP