12 nations demand N Korea halts nuclear weapons program

Since when did "researching nuclear weapons" and "possessing nuclear weapons" become one and the same?

Well, the difference is only one step which could be equivalent to less than a few months. To shorten the period, Japan has amassed nuclear weapons materials that's even larger than what China, India and Pakistan have combined.

And if computer simulation is good enough to replace actual testing like what many Japanese claim, then there is really no difference.

Japan doesn"t need nuclear weapons. It is programmed to self destruct with its nuclear reactors.

Did the NPDI criticism include the continued production and stockpiling of what is already the world's largest arsenal of chemical and biological warfare agents? Maybe Kim can't put a nuke on a SCUD but he can rain down enough VX and antibiotic resistant anthrax on Seoul, Taipei, and Tokyo to render them uninhabitable for a century at least. Surely this is worth a word or two of discussion. Or perhaps they will make mention about the DPRK's purported attempts to reanimate smallpox, bubonic plague, and the Spanish influenza virus and hold the entire planet hostage for extortion? Maybe some casual notice about the enlargement of several of the slave labor prison camps where pogroms against entire families are carried out? Some discussion about the world's largest methamphetamine trafficking ring or counterfeit currency mint? Why condemn the nuclear issue at all? Seems like there are plenty of the Kim clique's activites deserving of denunciation.

You can see why some countries want to get their hands on nuclear weapons. These weapons are a curse and a blessing at the same time. Unfortunately, they do create power (negotiating power, destruction power and fear power) and that is what NK is hoping for. Having said that, the 7 countries that are known to possess them (and that doesn't include the dark horse Israel who never admits to having them), are on the right track by saying that no other countries should have them. The idea should be to gradually reduce their numbers, not increase them.

Aren't most or al of thee nations also involved in some sort of nuclear research themselves? I'm no fan of North Korea but I can see why they continue to tell other nations to screw off. Yes, why doesn't everyone stop researching, stocking, buying, developing...?

Yeah...China's going to keep propping up its vassal until it can be assured that South Korea will take its place and oust the US military.

So, I appreciate the unified front, but its just not going to work so long as China keeps giving North Korea aid.

"rudimentary drones"? Have you seen them? They're so crude its embarrassing.

only 12 nations? shrug off.

How about we ALL halt nuclear weapons programmes?

And get rid of nuclear weapons altogether.

If you treat North Korea with respect, you don't get respect, you get a thumb in the eye. You've got to give North Korea a clear message that if those missiles are ever used in combat it means the destruction of their country.

Since when did "researching nuclear weapons" and "possessing nuclear weapons" become one and the same?

It further called on leaders from countries equipped with nuclear arms to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, two Japanese cities devastated by U.S. atomic bombings in World War II

Hasn't Japan been researching on nuclear weapons for decades even though no testing has been carried out? Shouldn't Japan stop the research too if it wants North Korea to stop?