DATE=11/3/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CONGRESS/NORTH KOREA (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255775
BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Republicans in the U-S Congress plan a direct
challenge to the Clinton administration's North Korea
policy. They say hearings will begin when lawmakers
reconvene in the New Year, and legislation could be
ready in a matter of months. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson
has details from Capitol Hill.
TEXT: Republicans in the House of Representatives
make no secret of their distaste for the current North
Korea policy.
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee --
Congressman Floyd Spence of South Carolina -- is
blunt.
/// SPENCE ACT ///
The administration's policy of appeasement and
bribery with North Korea has not worked.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Spence was one of several leading Republicans
named to advise Speaker Dennis Hastert on North Korea.
Their initial report breaks no major new ground, and
provides no specific recommendations. But it does
offer some insight into the thinking of the
Republicans, who control the House.
The report says the threat posed by North Korea has
grown over the last five years. Speaker Hastert says
the escalating threat is the result of a flawed U-S
policy.
/// HASTERT ACT ///
The findings of this report are disturbing. And
the future trends are even more troubling. The
next five years will be crucial in dealing with
the challenges posed by North Korea.
/// END ACT ///
The Republicans leave no doubt their focus in the
months ahead will be on a deal to provide North Korea
with nuclear power plants.
/// BEGIN OPTIONAL ///
House International Relations Committee Chairman
Benjamin Gilman says humanitarian aid to North Korea
will continue.
/// GILMAN ACT ///
We have not recommended cutting off humanitarian
food assistance to North Korea, (but) we would
like better monitoring.
/// END ACT ///
/// END OPTIONAL ///
The New York Republican says he wants to work with
House Democrats to draft necessary legislation. But
members of the minority party are very skeptical.
A spokesman for International Relations Committee
Democrats says they have been shut out of the process
so far. He says they were denied copies of the
Republican report on North Korea until after its
public release.
White House officials were also denied advance copies
of the report. Presidential Spokesman Joe Lockhart
says the administration stands by its North Korea
policy.
/// LOCKHART ACT ///
We know there is a threat. We have been dealing
openly and aggressively with that threat for
many years now. And we believe the Agreed
Framework [under which the United States gives
North Korea nuclear power plants provided it
does not develop nuclear weapons] is the proper
way to do that, and is the most effective way to
do that.
/// END ACT ///
But Mr. Lockhart also says the administration is aware
much more needs to be done. He says if members of
Congress have constructive ideas, the White House is
willing to listen. (Signed)
NEB/PW/gm
03-Nov-1999 15:07 PM EDT (03-Nov-1999 2007 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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