US not making lethal threat to N Korea: White House

Washington, Oct 6: The United States was not making ''a lethal threat'' when an envoy warned North Korea that it could not have both a future and a nuclear weapon, the White House said today.

In the starkest warning so far, coming after Pyongyang announced it planned a nuclear test, US Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill yesterday said North Korea: ''can have a future or it can have these weapons. It cannot have both.'' The United States has been pursuing diplomatic means to prevent North Korea from pursuing its nuclear program, White House spokesman Tony Snow said.

''It's a statement,'' he said. ''No, it's not a lethal threat,'' Snow told reporters.

''It's a statement of our policy, which is, we don't think they should have nuclear weapons,'' Snow said.

Reuters