India has told North Korea that if it wants an “honest relationship” with it, then it will need to factor in New Delhi’s concerns about its nuclear weapons-programme and tests. The Indian government’s concerns are driven by long-held suspicions that North Korea and Pakistan have direct proliferation linkages as well as military cooperation.
Indian fears on North Korea’s nuclear proliferation were conveyed by external affairs minister Salman Khurshid to his North Korean counterpart Pak Ui-Chun during a bilateral meeting here on Monday.
The meeting took place here this morning on the sidelines of the 46th Asean foreign ministers meeting held in the capital of Brunei.
The meeting was also significant in that the foreign ministers of the two countries haven’t met in many years though the two countries have traditionally had cordial relations.
Importantly, the meeting happened after the reclusive nation reached out to India and sought to engage with it on the nuclear proliferation issue. It comes at a time when North Korea is trying to reach out to the world for talks. Last month, they proposed high-level talks with the US “to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and establish regional peace and security” but have got the cold shoulder from Washington.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said he told the North Koreans that it is “important not to be isolated” and that “protection comes from that”.
The North Korean have invited world opprobrium, isolation and economic sanctions for their defiance on nuclear and missile tests.
The minister also told his N. Korean counterpart that his country “needs to evolve and take up a positions that fit in and are consistent with the global points of view”.
On their part, the North Koreans plea was that they have no intentions of nuclear proliferation” and were only doing tests “to protect themselves”.
India which has been critical of the rogue nation’s proliferation and its missile test programme also conveyed to them that it has to take a stand that is not friendly in order to take a “principled position”.