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SLUG: 2-299615 Congress / North Korea (L)
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DATE=2/13/03 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=CONGRESS / NORTH KOREA (L) NUMBER=2-299615 BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S lawmakers are expressing new concerns about the Bush administration's approach to resolving tensions with North Korea. The top U-S official for East Asia, Assistant Secretary of States James Kelly, told a congressional hearing Thursday that diplomacy remains the best option right now. This report from V-O-A correspondent Dan Robinson on Capitol Hill: TEXT: As the Bush administration was announcing its opposition to U-N sanctions against North Korea, for now, Mr. Kelly was detailing the dangers posed by Pyongyang's nuclear development efforts. He said North Korea could produce between four and six nuclear weapons by re-processing spent nuclear fuel. This, Mr. Kelly says, and the ongoing danger of proliferation of weapons or materials to rogue states or terrorists, poses a serious challenge -- one the administration has chosen to deal with diplomatically: /// KELLY ACT /// While we will not dole out rewards to convince North Korea to live up to its existing obligations, we remain prepared to talk to North Korea and to transform our relations with it, once the North comes into compliance with its international obligations and commitments, and meets our concerns. /// END ACT /// Mr. Kelly says North Korea needs to realize that this is a multilateral issue but adds that it's not clear if it takes seriously the referral of the situation to the U-N Security Council. Lawmakers on the House Asia-Pacific Subcommittee questioned how the Bush administration can pursue a military approach in dealing with Iraq, while using diplomacy with North Korea. (Republican) California Congressmen Ed Royce: /// ROYCE ACT /// These are reckless and dangerous people. They have starved and killed far more of their own people than Saddam Hussein has done to his, the record will show. And maintains a vast system of forced labor and prison activities that continue to abuse tens of thousands of their people every day. /// END ACT /// Others were critical of what they called China's lack of cooperation on North Korea, saying Beijing should use its economic leverage with Pyongyang by cutting off trade, loans and subsidies. /// BEGIN OPT /// (Democratic) Ohio Congressman Sherrod Brown: /// BROWN ACT /// (We have) to persuade China that they have to be more than a letter carrier. That they have got to understand they cannot trade with North Korea and do business as usual with the United States. /// END ACT /// /// END OPT /// Mr. Kelly acknowledges such a move would have a serious impact on North Korea, but it is not certain it would resolve the problem. /// BEGIN OPT /// China's United Nations ambassador said (Thursday) while the North Korean issue is now in the hands of the security council, Beijing believes it can still be resolved through bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea. /// END OPT /// Several lawmakers expressed frustration over what they called the apparent naiveté of South Koreans about North Korea, and expressed doubts about Seoul's "Sunshine Policy" toward Pyongyang. Mr. Kelly downplayed this, saying anti-Americanism in the South is a complex issue. He added that South Korean President-elect Roh Moo-hyun has taken a strong position that the North's nuclear development efforts are unacceptable. (signed) NEB/DAR/RH |
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