23-07-09 N.Korea Calls Clinton 'Funny Lady'

As U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continued to seek support among Asian leaders for a tougher stance against North Korea's weapons ambitions,Pyongyang lashed out at her by name for comparing the country to an attention-seeking child.Ms.Clinton,meeting with Asian leaders at the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the Thai island of Phuket,said she was "gratified" by how many countries directly expressed their concerns with North Korea,which sent a roving ambassador to the annual gathering."There is now no place to go for North Korea.They have no friends left," Mrs. Clinton said at a press conference on the last day of the meeting of the group, known as Asean.The U.S. and China, South Korea, Russia and Japan have been trying to persuade North Korea to return to six-party talks on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.Mrs.Clinton said the U.S. wants North Korea to make an "irreversible" commitment to abandon its nuclear program and is prepared to offer a "comprehensive package" of incentives to coax North Korea back to the negotiating table.Mrs.Clinton,however,stopped short of threatening "offensive action" action North Korea if it refuses to resume talks.Meanwhile,North Korea fixed its attention on comments Monday by Mrs.Clinton in an interview with ABC News.Mrs.Clinton said the U.S. took a low-key response to North Korea's missile tests earlier this month because it didn't want to give Pyongyang "the satisfaction they were looking for,which was to elevate them to center stage." She added,"Maybe it's the mother in me,the experience I've had with small children and teenagers and people who are demanding attention:Don't give it to them." In response,a spokesman for the North Korean foreign ministry said the country "cannot but regard Mrs.Clinton as a funny lady as she likes to utter such rhetoric,unaware of the elementary etiquette in the international community," the spokesman said."Sometimes she looks like a primary schoolgirl."The statement marked the first time North Korea has criticized Mrs.Clinton by name,though it routinely blames the U.S. for most of its problems.While North Korea scorned the entreaties to return to the six-party talks,Mrs. Clinton could point to a few concrete steps reached during the Asean conference.Japan Thursday said it would freeze the assets of North Koreans to comply with new U.N. sanctions because of their links to North Korea's nuclear program.Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Kazuo Kodama said five individuals would be barred entry to Japan as well as being barred from any transit visits.The measures were mandated under U.N. Security Council resolution 1874,adopted on June 12,to increase pressure on Pyongyang after an underground nuclear test in May.If North Korea succeeded in attaching a nuclear warhead to their missiles,"Japan will be an easy target," Mr. Kodama said