N Korea pulls out of (Sept.)nuclear meeting (just putting on pressure?)

[papau]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3569918.stm

N Korea pulls out of nuclear meeting

North Korea has said it will not attend a working meeting ahead of the next round of six-party talks on its controversial nuclear programme. A spokesman told state news agency KCNA that the US was "not interested in making the dialogue fruitful".

He said Pyongyang had been stunned and disappointed by Washington's view that there could be no reward for North Korea freezing its nuclear programme.

The working group was due to meet later this month in New York.

It was to have discussed the next round of six-nation talks - which include South Korea, China, Japan and Russia as well as the US and North Korea. Those talks are expected to take place by the end of September. <snip>

"This is the North Koreans putting on pressure," he (A senior South Korean official) said. "I wouldn't want to say that this thing is about really quitting the six-party process or the working-group talks." <snip>