Pyongyang's top nuclear envoy denounced reports of North Korean nuclear assistance to Syria
as baseless allegations "fabricated by lunatics" as he arrived Tuesday for talks with Chinese officials.
Following his arrival in Beijing, Kim Kye Gwan said the latest round of six-nation talks on ending the North's nuclear programs could be a make-or-break occasion.
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Envoys from the two Koreas, China, the United States, Japan and Russia are scheduled to meet from Thursday to lay out a program for disabling the North's programs.
"During this round of talks, if we can agree on measures to implement what we have already reached a consensus on, then we can proceed with the process," Kim told reporters on arrival at Beijing airport.
"If not, it could go back to square one," Kim said. North Korea agreed early this month to disable its nuclear programs by the end of the year and negotiators are hopeful of settling details of how to move ahead.
Asked to comment on reports of nuclear assistance to Syria, Kim echoed Pyongyang's earlier denials of any involvement.
"That matter is fabricated by lunatics, so you can ask those lunatics to explain it," Kim said.
Foreign news reports have cited officials and experts as saying an Israeli attack
earlier this month on Syrian territory may have targeted
a nonconventional weapon, perhaps a joint Syrian-North Korean nuclear project.
Under a February agreement, the five parties agreed to provide North Korea with 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil, or the monetary equivalent in other aid and assistance.
In return, North Korea agreed to shut down its main nuclear reactor – which it did in July – and then to declare and ultimately dismantle all its nuclear programs.
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