North Korea's demand that it be given a light-water reactor before dismantling its nuclear weapons program has been dismissed by several of the six nations attending the Beijing talks.
Speaking from the United Nations Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated that the parties would discuss a light-water reactor at the appropriate time. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said at a briefing in Washington that North Korea must first dismantle, return to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, comply with international atomic safeguards, and meet other criteria. Japan called North Korea's demand "unacceptable," while China's Foreign Ministry urged all sides to keep their commitments.
North Korea had pledged to give up its nuclear weapons in return for energy aid and security assurances at talks. The parties agreed that supplying a light-water reactor for civilian use would be discussed later.