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White House: Iran, DPRK remain in 'axis of evil'

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-22 09:29

WASHINGTON  -- The White House said Monday that Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) remain part of the "axis of evil" labeled by US President George W. Bush in 2002.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino responds to a reporters question, Monday, June 23, 2008, during her daily briefing at the White House in Washington. [Xinhua]

"I think that until they give up their nuclear weapons programs completely and verifiably, I think that we keep them in the same category," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.

Perino said that thanks to great efforts by the international community, the DPRK has agreed in the six-party talks to reveal and dismantle its nuclear programs.

The six-party talks, involving the United States, the DPRK, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, were designed for the settlement of nuclear issues on the Korean peninsula.

While the six-party talks are bearing fruit, Perino said "Iran's a different story ... They're missing an opportunity for a very generous incentives package, and that additional sanctions could be on the way."

Perino made the remarks after the talks between European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iranian top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in Geneva on Saturday.

US Undersecretary of State William Burns and senior diplomats from China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany attended the Geneva nuclear talks.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is visiting the United Arab Emirates, accused Iran on Monday of not being serious at weekend talks about its disputed nuclear program despite the presence of a senior US diplomat. She warned the Islamic Republic may soon face new sanctions.