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N Korea tops Moscow talks agenda Rice doubts N Korea test pledge
(40 minutes later)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in Moscow for talks likely to focus on the North Korea crisis. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said she doubts claims that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il pledged not to carry out a second nuclear test.
Ms Rice is seeking to bolster international support for enforcing UN sanctions imposed after the communist state's 9 October nuclear test. There have been media reports that Mr Kim made the promise to Chinese envoy Tang Jiaxuan when he visited Pyongyang.
Moscow is the fourth leg of Ms Rice's four-nation tour. She has already held talks in Japan, South Korea and China. But Ms Rice, in Beijing on Friday for talks on the crisis sparked by North Korea's first nuclear test, said the Chinese mentioned no such breakthrough. She is now in Moscow for talks alsoexpected to focus on North Korea.
Her visit comes amid unconfirmed reports that North Korea has ruled out a second nuclear test. International threat?
"I don't know whether or not Kim Jong-il said any such thing," Ms Rice told journalists accompanying her on a flight from Beijing to Moscow.
"Tang did not tell me that Kim Jong-il either apologised for the test or said that he would not ever test again," Ms Rice added.
Mr Tang, a former Chinese foreign minister, was sent to North Korea on Thursday to deliver a personal message from President Hu Jintao.
Though it is not confirmed, we have obtained information that... the country won't conduct a second nuclear test Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso Q&A: Nuclear crisis N Korea's mercurial leaderThough it is not confirmed, we have obtained information that... the country won't conduct a second nuclear test Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso Q&A: Nuclear crisis N Korea's mercurial leader
During the visit, Ms Rice will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov. Mr Tang did not set out what took place during his meeting with Mr Kim, but said afterwards that the visit had "not been in vain".
She may also raise the issue of Iran and seek Russian support for sanctions over its suspected nuclear weapons programme, analysts say. Ms Rice is seeking to bolster international support for enforcing UN sanctions imposed after the communist state's 9 October nuclear test.
The Russians condemned the test when it happened and the Kremlin has made it clear that it does not welcome a nuclear armed North Korea, but the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow says there is little sense in the Russian capital that the world faces a clear and immediate threat.
The Russian defence minister, Sergei Ivanov, has said that the sanctions against Pyongyang should be lifted if it returns to the negotiating table.
Sanctions backing
Ms Rice may also raise the issue of Iran and seek Russian support for sanctions over its suspected nuclear weapons programme at her meetings with Mr Ivanov, President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, analysts say.
Russia's troubled ties with Georgia and the killing of Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya could also be on the agenda.Russia's troubled ties with Georgia and the killing of Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya could also be on the agenda.
Russian stance
Ms Rice arrives from three days of intensive diplomacy in East Asia over enforcing a Security Council resolution agreed last Saturday in response to North Korea's underground nuclear test.
NEW UN SANCTIONS Bans sale to, or export from, N Korea of military hardwareBans sale or export of nuclear and missile related itemsBans sale of luxury goodsFreezes finances and bans travel of anyone involved in nuclear, missile programmesAllows inspection of cargo to and from N KoreaStresses new resolution needed for further action Who stands where Discord over ship searchesNEW UN SANCTIONS Bans sale to, or export from, N Korea of military hardwareBans sale or export of nuclear and missile related itemsBans sale of luxury goodsFreezes finances and bans travel of anyone involved in nuclear, missile programmesAllows inspection of cargo to and from N KoreaStresses new resolution needed for further action Who stands where Discord over ship searches
Ms Rice arrives from three days of intensive diplomacy in East Asia over enforcing a Security Council resolution agreed last Saturday in response to North Korea's underground nuclear test.
Moscow is the fourth leg of Ms Rice's four-nation tour. She has already held talks in Japan, South Korea and China.
The resolution includes sanctions targeting North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes, and allows the inspection of cargo going in and out of the country - something some countries fear will raise tensions further.The resolution includes sanctions targeting North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes, and allows the inspection of cargo going in and out of the country - something some countries fear will raise tensions further.
Ms Rice has come to Russia to see how much understanding it has for the US position, says the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow. Ms Rice has come to Russia to see how much understanding it has for the US position, says our correspondent in Moscow.
The Kremlin has made it clear that it does not welcome a nuclear armed North Korea, our correspondent says, but there is little sense in the Russian capital that the world faces a clear and immediate threat. Like China, Moscow is wary of putting too much pressure on Pyongyang, our correspondent says.
Russia has condemned the test but backed further dialogue with North Korea. Like China, Moscow is wary of putting too much pressure on Pyongyang.
'Enough deterrents'
On Friday, Ms Rice said she was convinced China was committed to enforcing sanctions.On Friday, Ms Rice said she was convinced China was committed to enforcing sanctions.
"I think that you will see (Chinese) co-operation on cargo, particularly if there is suspicious cargo," she said."I think that you will see (Chinese) co-operation on cargo, particularly if there is suspicious cargo," she said.
Her talks in Beijing came a day after Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a senior envoy, former Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, to deliver a personal message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
Mr Tang did not set out what took place during his meeting with Mr Kim, but said the visit had "not been in vain".
Media reports have suggested the North Korean leader told him that no further tests were planned.
"Though it is not confirmed, we have obtained information that he told Mr Tang the country won't conduct a second nuclear test," Kyodo news agency cited Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso as saying.
North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Kye-gwan, in a rare interview with American television channel ABC, was cagey on the issue of another test. "I think you can closely watch what happens," he said.
Mr Kim said the nuclear test had given North Korea "enough deterrents to cope with the possible US nuclear threat".
"The status of the DPRK (North Korea) has changed now with this test, and I think this serves as a good base for our country to be an active participant in the six-party talks," he said.
He was referring to the stalled talks over North Korea's nuclear programme involving the US, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia.