Pyongyang will not give up its nuclear weapons development program until it receives a promised light-water nuclear reactor by the United States, said a statement circulated Wednesday by the embassy of North Korea in Russia.

"What counts most is to ensure that the US immediately provides a light-water nuclear reactor, which will demonstrate recognition of North Korea right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," a spokesman for North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Until a light-water reactor, a physical guarantor for confidence-building measures, is provided, one would rather not dream about the nuclear deterrence potential North Korea has already obtained being dismantled," the diplomat said.

It still needs time to make sure that the US is actually working at the 'action-for-action' stage, North Korea spokesman noted and warned "If they continue to insist that the nuclear arms program should be dismantled before a light-water reactor is provided, nothing will change between North Korea and the US in the nuclear problem, while the consequences may be quite serious and painful."

If the US decides to violate the latest agreements reached at the fourth round of the six-party talks in Beijing, "North Korea will not hesitate to follow the path set by the army priority policy," the diplomat stressed.

At the six-party talks in Beijing on Monday, North Korea had promised to drop its nuclear program for economic assistance and security assurance, the first agreement in more than two years of contentious negotiations.

The six parties, including China, North Korea, South Korea, Russia, Japan and the US, had agreed at the fourth round of talks to wind up Pyongyang's nuclear programs in return for aid and recognition of its right to a civilian nuclear program.

They also agreed to discuss providing a light-water reactor "at an appropriate time".

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2005)