The State Department said Friday it deplores the North Korean decision to withdraw from an international treaty aimed at curbing the spread of nuclear weapons. It called on North Korea to reverse the decision.
Spokesman Richard Boucher refused comment on whether the United States believes North Korea has nuclear weapons, but he acknowledged there are "significant uncertainties" about the country's past activities.There is a possibility that North Korea has not fully declared all of its nuclear materials to international nuclear inspectors, Boucher said.
The United States believes there is an "absolute need" to resolve these uncertainties through international inspections, he said.
Secretary of State Warren Christopher later said international sanctions would have to be considered against North Korea "if they continue on the path that they're on."
Former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger told a congressional committee on Thursday - hours before the North Korean announcement - that he believed Pyongyang has nuclear weapons.
The North Korean government said its decision to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was based in part on the start of joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises this week.
Pyongyang called the exercises "nuclear war maneuvers," but Boucher said they are a "purely defensive conventional exercise."
"We've made clear to North Korea on several occasions that we don't represent any kind of nuclear threat against North Korea," he said.
Asked to respond to the North Korean statement, Boucher said, "We join the international community in deploring this announcement by the North Koreans that North Korea intends to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."
He said the announcement contradicts commitments North Korea has made under the treaty and under a declaration concerning the need for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.
Boucher said North Korea's obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency remain in force for at least 90 days, even if it formally notifies the U.N. Security Council and all member parties.
"We call upon North Korea to withdraw its statement immediately and to take steps including full cooperation with the IAEA, which will restore international confidence that North Korea is fulfilling its international responsibilities in the nuclear area."