DATE=8/20/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237380
TITLE=NOKOR / NUKES / PENTAGON (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH KOREA RESUME NUCLEAR TALKS
FRIDAY, AMID CONCERNS THAT AN AGREEMENT TO STOP NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PRODUCTION BY NORTH KOREA IS ERODING. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE HAS
THIS PREVIEW OF THE NEW YORK TALKS.
TEXT: PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE UNITED STATES WILL
TELL NORTH KOREA THAT WASHINGTON EXPECTS PYONGYANG TO ABIDE BY
ITS AGREEMENT, SIGNED IN 1994, NOT TO RESTART A CLOSED NUCLEAR
PLANT OR BUILD A NEW ONE.
/// BACON ACT ///
WE ARE MONITORING COMPLIANCE VERY CLOSELY WITH THE
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE WILL RAISE WITH THEM ANY SIGNS THAT THERE MAY NOT BE
COMPLIANCE.
/// END ACT ///
U-S OFFICIALS WON'T CONFIRM NEWS ACCOUNTS THAT SAY NORTH KOREA IS
MAKING PREPARATIONS TO BUILD A NEW, UNDERGROUND FACILITY THAT
COULD BE USED TO MAKE NUCLEAR WEAPONS MATERIALS. (OPT) UP TO
15-THOUSAND NORTH KOREANS ARE SAID TO BE BUSY TUNNELING AND
DIGGING INTO A MOUNTAINSIDE, PERHAPS PREPARING THE WAY FOR A
FACILITY TO PRODUCE THE ENRICHED URANIUM OR PLUTONIUM NEEDED FOR
NUCLEAR WEAPONS. (END OPT)
ACADEMIC EXPERTS SAY IF THE NORTH MOVES MUCH FURTHER ON THE
PROJECT IT MIGHT VIOLATE THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD AGREEMENT TO FREEZE
NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM.
THE DEAL OFFERED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FOREIGN AID FROM SOUTH
KOREA, JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES IN EXCHANGE FOR CLOSING A
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SUSPECTED OF MAKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS
MATERIALS.
PART OF THE AGREEMENT GAVE THE NORTH NEW NUCLEAR PLANTS THAT ARE
GOOD AT PRODUCING ELECTRICITY, BUT DO A POOR JOB OF MAKING
MATERIAL FOR NUCLEAR BOMBS.
WHILE THE OLD NUCLEAR PLANT IS CLOSED AND THE NEW ONES ARE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION, THE UNITED STATES PROMISED TO DELIVER 500-THOUSAND
METRIC TONS OF HEAVY FUEL OIL EACH YEAR TO MAKE UP FOR LOST
ENERGY PRODUCTION.
MR. BACON, THE PENTAGON SPOKESMAN, SAYS, IN SPITE OF NORTH KOREAN
COMPLAINTS, WASHINGTON IS MEETING ITS OBLIGATIONS TO DELIVER
LARGE QUANTITIES OF FUEL OIL TO THE NORTH. BUT NORTH KOREA
EXPLAINS THE DELIVERIES ARE SLOW AND ERRATIC.
A SCHOLAR WHO STUDIES KOREAN ISSUES AT THE U-S INSTITUTE OF PEACE
IN WASHINGTON SAYS NORTH KOREAN OFFICIALS COMPLAIN THAT
WASHINGTON WILL DELIVER MOST OF THE OIL RIGHT AROUND THE OCTOBER
21ST DEADLINE, OVERWHELMING THE LOCAL OIL HANDLING FACILITIES.
SCOTT SNYDER SAYS WASHINGTON HAS HAD TROUBLE RAISING THE MONEY
NEEDED TO BUY THE OIL AND THE RESULTING UNCERTAINTY BOTHERS NORTH
KOREA.
/// SNYDER ACT 34 ///
SO BASICALLY THEY (THE AMERICANS) ARE OPERATING A
SHOESTRING OPERATION TO GET THE OIL OVER THERE, THE
NORTH KOREANS ARE AWARE OF IT AND SEE IT AS SIGN OF LACK
OF COMMITMENT TO THE AGREED FRAMEWORK.
/// END ACT ///
MR. SNYDER SAYS THERE IS PROBABLY A CONTINUING DEBATE AMONG NORTH
KOREAN OFFICIALS ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE DEAL FREEZING ITS NUCLEAR
PROGRAM. HE SAYS THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MAY BE AN ATTEMPT
TO GET BACK IN THE BOMB BUILDING BUSINESS, OR AS A WAY OF DRIVING
A HARDER BARGAIN WITH WASHINGTON, OR BOTH. (SIGNED)
NEB/JR/KL
20-Aug-98 12:33 PM EDT (1633 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
