DATE=10/21/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41645
TITLE=U-S / NORTH KOREA - CQ
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
INTRO: ONE ITEM IN THE NEWLY APPROVED U-S GOVERNMENT BUDGET
PROVIDES FUNDING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM BUILDING NUCLEAR
POWER PLANTS IN NORTH KOREA AND FOR FUEL OIL SHIPMENTS TO THE
NORTH. THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO THAT EFFORT
FOR A FEW YEARS. WHAT'S NEW THIS TIME IS THE MONEY IS LINKED TO
A LONG LIST OF CONDITIONS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT NORTH KOREA HAS
NOT VIOLATED AGREEMENTS ON ENDING ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND MISSILE
PROGRAMS. V-O-A'S STEPHANIE MANN REPORTS.
TEXT: UNDER A 1994 AGREEMENT BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND PYONGYANG,
NORTH KOREA AGREED TO SHUT DOWN ITS NUCLEAR POWER FACILITIES AND
STOP ITS PROGRAM TO BUILD NUCLEAR WEAPONS. IN EXCHANGE, A
U-S-LED CONSORTIUM THAT INCLUDES SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN IS
BUILDING NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN NORTH KOREA. UNTIL THE NEW
PLANTS BEGIN OPERATING, THE UNITED STATES IS SHIPPING FUEL OIL TO
PROVIDE ENERGY IN THE NORTH.
THIS ARRANGEMENT, CALLED THE AGREED FRAMEWORK, HAS COME UNDER
INTENSE SCRUTINY IN RECENT MONTHS. SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING
UNDERGROUND SITES HAVE BEEN DETECTED IN NORTH KOREA, AND THE U-S
GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THOSE LOCATIONS ARE BEING
USED TO MAKE NUCLEAR FUEL AND -- POSSIBLY -- CONSTRUCT NUCLEAR
WEAPONS.
IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT IN PYONGYANG RECENTLY LAUNCHED A
MISSILE TO TRY TO PUT A SATELLITE IN ORBIT, SENDING A SIGNAL --
WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR NOT -- THAT IT MAY BE DEVELOPING A LONG
RANGE MISSILE CAPABILITY.
FORMER U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTELLIGENCE AND
RESEARCH, MORTON ABRAMOWITZ, SAYS NORTH KOREA'S ACTIONS RAISED
CONCERNS IN WASHINGTON ABOUT U-S POLICY TOWARD KOREA. MR.
ABRAMOWITZ SAYS, IN PARTICULAR, THE ADMINISTRATION'S DEFENSE OF
ITS 1994 AGREEMENT WITH PYONGYANG HAS LOST SOME CREDIBILITY IN
THE CONGRESS.
// ABRAMOWITZ ACT ONE //
THE AGREEMENT, WHICH HAD NEVER BEEN VERY POPULAR IN
CONGRESS FROM THE START, HAS NOW RUN INTO SERIOUS
PROBLEMS ABOUT ITS OVERALL CREDIBILITY -- WHETHER THE
NORTH KOREANS ARE ACTUALLY CARRYING OUT THEIR AGREEMENT
OR VIOLATING IT.
// END ACT //
IN EARLY OCTOBER, MR. ABRAMOWITZ AND 25 OTHER AMERICAN EXPERTS ON
KOREA AND U-S FOREIGN POLICY SENT AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT
CLINTON EXPRESSING THEIR CONCERN ABOUT NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR
INTENTIONS AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON U-S POLICY. /// OPT ///
THE GROUP CALLS ITSELF "THE INDEPENDENT TASK FORCE ON MANAGING
CHANGE ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA" AND IS SPONSORED BY THE COUNCIL
ON FOREIGN RELATIONS. /// END OPT ///
THE LETTER URGES THE ADMINISTRATION TO CONDUCT AN IMMEDIATE
REVIEW OF ITS POLICY. IT SAYS THIS REVIEW SHOULD EXAMINE
LONG-TERM U-S OBJECTIVES, NORTH KOREA'S INTENTIONS, THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF U-S COORDINATION WITH JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA, AND
THE U-S POSITION IF, INDEED, NORTH KOREA IS CONTINUING A NUCLEAR
WEAPONS PROGRAM. THE GROUP URGES THE PRESIDENT TO SEEK
CLARIFICATION FROM PYONGYANG ON WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THOSE NEWLY
DISCOVERED UNDERGROUND SITES AND INSIST THAT FULL INSPECTIONS BE
ALLOWED.
MR. ABRAMOWITZ SAYS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS LIKED THE IDEA OF PUTTING
CONDITIONS ON ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE NORTH KOREAN ENERGY
PROJECT AND FUEL OIL SHIPMENTS, SO THEY ADOPTED SOME OF HIS
GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE NEW BUDGET BILL.
THE BUDGET PROVIDES 35 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
CONSORTIUM, CALLED KEDO -- THE KOREAN PENINSULA ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER, THAT FUNDING WOULD BE MADE
AVAILABLE IN TWO INSTALLMENTS ONLY AFTER MARCH 1ST, 1999, AND
ONLY IF A LONG LIST OF CONDITIONS ARE MET. THESE CONDITIONS
INCLUDE PRESIDENT CLINTON CERTIFYING THAT NORTH KOREA HAS MADE
PROGRESS TOWARD ENDING ITS NUCLEAR AND BALLISTIC MISSILE
PROGRAMS.
// OPT // THE SPECIFIC TERMS REQUIRE NORTH KOREA TO ABIDE BY THE
1994 NUCLEAR ACCORD BETWEEN PYONGYANG AND WASHINGTON AS WELL AS A
1992 AGREEMENT BETWEEN PYONGYANG AND SEOUL ON DE-NUCLEARIZING THE
KOREAN PENINSULA. OTHER CONDITIONS REQUIRE PROGRESS ON TALKS
AIMED AT HALTING NORTH KOREAN MISSILE DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS IN
THE DIRECT NORTH-SOUTH DIALOGUE. THE PRESIDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO
WAIVE THESE CONDITIONS, IF NECESSARY FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
REASONS. // END OPT //
MR. ABRAMOWITZ SAYS THE LEGISLATION ALLOWS CONTINUED U-S SUPPORT
FOR THE NORTH KOREAN ENERGY PROGRAM BUT CONSIDERS THE VERY REAL
CONCERNS ABOUT NORTH KOREA'S ACTIVITIES.
// ABRAMOWITZ ACT TWO //
IT DOESN'T ASSURE EVERYTHING FOR THE NEXT TWO OR THREE
YEARS, BUT IT IS A PIECEMEAL ANSWER WHICH PERMITS US TO
PROCEED WITH SOME CONFIDENCE. BUT WE CANNOT PROCEED
WITH CONFIDENCE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN THIS UNTIL WE
CLEAR UP THIS PROBLEM OF THESE NEW WORRISOME SITES. AND
HOPEFULLY, THAT CAN BE DONE.
// END ACT //
MR. ABRAMOWITZ SAYS HIS GROUP DID NOT WANT TO RECOMMEND SCRAPPING
THE 1994 AGREEMENT WITH PYONGYANG -- AT LEAST NOT UNTIL THERE IS
REAL PROOF THAT NORTH KOREA IS VIOLATING IT. IF NORTH KOREA IS
NOT WILING TO CLARIFY WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE SUSPICIOUS
UNDERGROUND SITES AND DEMONSTRATE THAT IT IS NOT PURSUING A
NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM, THEN HE SAYS THE CLIMATE ON THE ALREADY
TENSE KOREAN PENINSULA WILL FURTHER DETERIORATE.
NORTH KOREA'S OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY REPORTS THE GOVERNMENT IS
WILLING TO OPEN ITS UNDERGROUND FACILITIES TO U-S INSPECTORS.
THE NEWS AGENCY ALSO REPEATS NORTH KOREA'S ASSERTIONS THAT ITS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES ARE CIVILIAN STRUCTURES AND NOT PART OF A
NEW NUCLEAR COMPLEX. (SIGNED)
NEB/SMN/GE
21-Oct-98 10:38 AM EDT (1438 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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