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WORLD NEWS Friday 13 december 2019

North Korea berates US for criticizing its missile tests

By KIM TONG-HYUNG surrender of the North’s nu-
Associated Press clear capabilities at Kim’s
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — second summit with U.S.
North Korea accused the President Donald Trump in
United States of “hostile Vietnam in February.
provocation” on Thursday Trump and Kim met for a
for criticizing its ballistic mis- third time in June at the
sile tests during a United border between North and
Nations Security Coun- South Korea and agreed
cil meeting and warned to resume talks. But an
that the Trump administra- October working-level
tion may have blown its meeting in Sweden broke
chance to salvage nuclear down over what the North
negotiations. Koreans described as the
An unnamed Foreign Min- Americans’ “old stance
istry spokesman said the and attitude.”Kim, who
“foolish” U.S. comments unilaterally suspended
helped North Korea reach nuclear and interconti-
a “definite decision” about nental ballistic missile tests
its next steps as it ap- last year while initiating di-
proaches an end-of-year plomacy with Washington
deadline set by leader Kim and Seoul, has said North
Jong Un for Washington to In this Oct. 2, 2019, file photo, people watch a TV showing a file image of an unspecified North Korea could seek a “new
offer mutually acceptable Korea’s missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea. path” if the United States
terms to revive the nucle- Associated Press persists with sanctions and
ar talks. The North did not pressure against the North.
specify what those steps to be flexible” and take ment released through “U.S. did a foolish thing North Korea has conduct-
were.At a Security Coun- concrete, parallel steps North Korean state media. which will boomerang on ed 13 rounds of ballistic
cil meeting on Wednes- toward an agreement on He said North Korea’s tests it, and decisively helped us missile and rocket artillery
day, U.S. Ambassador Kelly resuming talks. are aimed at improving its make a definite decision tests since May to pressure
Craft said North Korea’s “The U.S. talks about dia- self-defense and pointed on what way to choose,” Washington, and has hint-
“deeply counterproduc- logue, whenever it opens out that the United States the statement said. ed at lifting its moratorium
tive” ballistic missile tests its mouth, but it is too natu- tests ICBMs freely. U.S. criti- Negotiations faltered after on nuclear and long-range
risk closing the door on ral that the U.S. has nothing cism of the North Korean the United States rejected missile tests if the Trump ad-
prospects for negotiating to present before us though tests demonstrate a “ban- North Korean demands ministration fails to make
peace but said the Trump dialogue may open,” the dit-like” intent to disarm the for broad sanctions relief substantial concessions
administration is “prepared spokesman said in a state- North completely, he said. in exchange for a partial before the new year.q

Fire on Russia’s only aircraft carrier kills 1, injures 11

Associated Press and emergency teams showed the carrier berth-
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s spent the day battling the side next to a snow-cov-
only aircraft carrier suf- blaze. ered hill, engulfed by
fered a massive fire Thurs- The military said one crew smoke.
day that killed one crew member died while bat- The Defense Ministry said
member, injured another tling the fire, and another the fire was localized.
11 people and signifi- one is missing. The Admiral Kuznetsov has
cantly damaged the ill- Authorities in Murmansk been plagued by break-
fated ship that has been said 11 people were in- downs and setbacks since
haunted by incidents jured and 10 of them were its launch in 1985. The mas-
throughout its service. hospitalized in intensive sive blaze follows a 70-ton
The fire on the Admiral care units. crane crashing onto the
Kuznetsov broke out dur- The Investigative Commit- Admiral Kuznetsov’s deck
ing welding work at a tee, the nation’s top state in October 2018 when a In this 2004 file photo the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier
shipyard in the Arctic port investigative agency, has mammoth floating dock seen in the Barents Sea, Russia. Associated Press
of Murmansk and spread opened a probe into a holding the ship sank.
quickly through the car- possible violation of safety The crane left a hole of 20 dock significantly slowed other of comparable
rier’s internal compart- rules. square meters (215 square down repairs on the carrier size. q
ments. The ship’s crew Russian state television feet), and the loss of the since the navy lacked an-