US urges North Korea to stop missile tests

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The United States urged North Korea, which fired two short-range missiles Wednesday, to abide by a moratorium on missile tests that is part of international efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Separately, Chris Hill, the chief US negotiator at the stalled six-nation nuclear talks, expressed frustration at the lack of progress, saying at a House of Representatives hearing, "We have to see some results here. ... We don't have forever to get this solved." A senior official with the administration of President George W. Bush said the US government had confirmed independently media reports that North Korea had fired two surface-to-air missiles. The White House and Pentagon said the tests were similar to previous tests by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's government. "We have consistently pointed out that North Korea's missile program is a concern that poses a threat to the region and the larger international community," their statements said.