North Korea stands its ground in talks

North Korea insisted Monday that it be treated as a nuclear power as six-nation talks convened for the first time since the communist nation’s atomic test in October. The United States threatened more sanctions and said time was running out for Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear program.

As the talks entered a second day today, delegates from Washington and Pyongyang were expected to separately discuss a key sticking point: U.S. financial restrictions against the regime.

U.S. envoy Christopher Hill told reporters that “not too much progress” had been made at the talks.

The resumption of the negotiations -- bringing together North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States -- came after a 13-month break during which the North test-fired a new long-range missile in July and set off an underground atomic blast Oct. 9.

North Korea had refused to return to the talks because it is angry over the U.S. blacklisting of a Macao bank where Pyongyang deposited about $24 million. Washington accused the bank of money laundering and of being complicit with the North in the counterfeiting of $100 bills.

On Monday, North Korea called for Washington to end financial restrictions and for the United Nations to lift sanctions imposed because of the nuclear test, according to a summary of Pyongyang’s opening statement released by one of the delegations.

North Korea pledged in September 2005 to abandon its nuclear arms program in exchange for economic aid and security guarantees, and Hill said the parties in the talks hoped to lay out a plan to see that through.

North Korea also renewed demands that it be given a nuclear reactor for electricity generation. In addition, Pyongyang said its struggling economy needed help to meet the nation’s energy needs until the reactor was built.

North Korea told the other nations that it should be considered a nuclear weapons power and that the talks should become negotiations over mutual arms reductions in which it would be accorded equal footing with the U.S.

If its demands aren’t met, the North said, it will increase its nuclear program, according to the summary.

The United States and other countries emphasized that the talks’ main focus would be on getting the regime to give up atomic weapons.

“We would like denuclearization via a diplomatic negotiation. If they don’t want that, we’re quite prepared to go the other road ... which is a pretty tough road,” Hill said, implying North Korea could face more international sanctions.