16 March 1999
TEXT: ALBRIGHT 3/16 ON AGREEMENT WITH N. KOREA ON SITE ACCESS
(N. Korea agrees to multiple site visits by U.S. team) (480) Washington -- The United States and North Korea have reached an agreement on access to the suspect underground site at Kumchang-ni, according to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. "The agreement we've reached addresses all of our concerns, and it will enable us both to confirm and monitor the current and future use of the suspect site," Albright said in a March 16 statement released by the Department of State. Albright said that, according to the agreement: -- The North Koreans have agreed to multiple site visits by a U.S. team to the underground site at Kumchang-ni. -- The first visit will be in May 1999, with follow-up visits continuing as long as our concerns about the site remain. -- During each visit, the U.S. team will have access to the entire site. Albright noted that the United States did not agree to North Korean demands for "compensation" in return for access. Following is the official State Department text: (begin text) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman March 16, 1999 STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT I'm pleased to be able to tell you that we've just reached an agreement in New York with the North Koreans on access to the suspect underground site at Kumchang-ni. This agreement comes after four rounds of intensive talks between Ambassador Kartman and North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye Gwan. The agreement we've reached addresses all of our concerns, and it will enable us both to confirm and monitor the current and future use of the suspect site. Specifically: -- The North Koreans have agreed to multiple site visits by a U.S. team to the underground site at Kumchang-ni. -- The first visit will be in May 1999, with follow-up visits continuing as long as our concerns about the site remain. -- During each visit, the U.S. team will have access to the entire site. In the negotiations, we did not agree to North Korean demands for "compensation" in return for access. We did repeat to the DPRK something we've often said publicly; removal of our suspicions concerning Kumchang-ni would enable us to resume progress in our relationship as outlined in the Agreed Framework. In this regard, we have decided to take a concrete step in the form of a bilateral pilot agricultural project. The United States is prepared to resume moving in the direction envisioned in the Agreed Framework, and we hope the DPRK will take the requisite actions that will enable us to do so. Finally, I'm also able to announce that we have agreed with the DPRK to resume missile talks on March 29 in Pyongyang. (end text)
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