N. Korea Displays 'Nuclear Deterrent'

[whatelseisnew]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6721-2004Jan10.html

Material Reportedly Not Used in Weapon

By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, January 11, 2004; Page A01


An unofficial delegation of U.S. experts visiting North Korea last week examined what the Pyongyang government said was its "nuclear deterrent," apparently providing the first confirmation that Pyongyang has produced the key ingredient for nuclear weapons.


U.S. officials said they have received only initial details of the visit, and they cautioned that they do not yet know the full extent of the facilities and materials examined by the delegation. But one official said it appeared the delegation had been shown what the North Koreans described as recently reprocessed plutonium.

According to this account, North Korean officials told the experts the material has not been placed in a nuclear device and that it was prepared to "freeze" it to resolve the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

U.S. intelligence has long estimated that North Korea during the 1980s had obtained enough weapons-grade plutonium for one or two weapons, but that analysis was largely based on guesswork. Moreover, U.S. analysts have not been able to confirm North Korea had obtained additional plutonium from 8,000 spent fuel rods after ousting U.N. inspectors a year ago from its Yongbyon nuclear facility. No outsiders -- before this delegation -- have visited Yongbyon since the inspectors left.
...

[teryang]

1. Succinct statement of respective positions are

...included at the end of the article:

<First, the United States must resume shipments of heavy oil and greatly expand food aid, and in exchange North Korea would renounce nuclear intentions. Once the United States provided security assurances in writing and provides energy compensation, North Korea would freeze its facilities and allow inspections of its nuclear material. North Korean missiles would be restrained after the United States and Japan establish diplomatic relations with North Korea. Finally, North Korea's programs would be dismantled only after the United States and its allies finished building light-water reactors in North Korea -- a program suspended by the Bush administration.

By contrast, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said last week that North Korea must issue a statement declaring it will verifiably and permanently end its nuclear programs before the United States would offer its ideas for security assurances, let alone begin discussing energy or economic aid.>

Too bad NK is dealing with a schizophrenic regime in America. A Chinese high ranking diplomat a couple of months ago correctly characterized the American regime's position as no position at all. The Clinton administration adopted a reasonable and workable policy in the 1994 agreed framework. The BFEE operators in the nuclear industry, including Herr Rumsfeldt sabatoged the program by stalling on the light water reactor construction project promised by the US and paid for by North Korea. NK had already abandoned its peaceful nuclear reactor construction program in return for the promised construction of light water reactors to be completed by 2003. The current NK position expressed above is the first concession I have ever heard of concerning their missile program.

I read the recent apologia for Powell. It's bullshit. His position here is reminiscient of the Sharon negotiating style. The problem for NK is that they think they can negotiate with the current regime. They can't. I think the Chinese realize this and ready to call the diplomatic effort a failure. Even with the new democratic administration coming in, a deal will be reached but the "secret BFEE operators" in the Bush controlled nuclear weapons industry will sabatoge any agreements.

[chenGOD]

3. Yes Powell talks a lot of bullshit.

I just read an article in the Korea Herald yesterday where he said "We have solid ideas on how to provide North Korea with security assurances, but first the North must promise to give up their nuclear weapons program." He then goes on to say that "they have to make clear what they're doing is permanent, because we don't want to see this movie again." (Oh yeah Powell, and care to remind anybody why we're watching this movie for the second time? Oh what's that? KEDO didn't honour the '94 agreement? But of course BushCo is going to honour this next agreement, right? We have your word on that?)

He later says that "the six-party talks are closer to happening, according to my Asian colleagues (you think he's talking about the human scum John Bolton?)." Which of course doesn't really mean anything, cause the North ain't gonna change their demands for security guarantees.

The US administration has to give up their vain hope that the regime will collapse from within. They have to return to the bargaining table honestly, and then get the LWR project back on track. It should be done under UN supervision. Then we'll have some real chance at re-uniting North and South Corea.

[teryang]

2. Kick!

Interesting report.

:kick: