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US: North Korean Nuclear Move Regrettable But Reversible

By David Gollust

State Department

09 October 2008

On Thursday, the United States called North Korea's move to bar international inspectors from its Yongbyon nuclear complex "regrettable," but "reversible". Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the Bush administration is reviewing the status of nuclear talks with Pyongyang. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

U.S. officials are expressing concern over the latest step by North Korea that appears to roll-back progress in the six-party negotiations on its nuclear program. But they say Pyongyang has yet to take action that scuttles the process.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, said Thursday it has been told by North Korea that its inspectors, who had been monitoring the disablement of the Yongbyon reactor, have been barred from the site.

North Korea has taken several actions since August reversing disarmament commitments it made under accords reached last year, under which Pyongyang is to scrap its nuclear program in return for aid and diplomatic benefits.

The Chinese-sponsored process has been stalled over a dispute about a plan to verify North Korea's declared nuclear holdings.

Pyongyang contends the United States reneged on a promise to remove it from its list of state sponsors of terrorism after it made the declaration. U.S. officials say de-listing North Korea was dependent on an acceptable verification plan.

At a news briefing Thursday, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said he did not want to minimize the importance of the latest North Korean step, but he said the process is not at an end.

"The North Koreans over the past month or so have taken a series of steps that we have viewed as not positive, not helpful and certainly not furthering the process of de-nuclearizing the Korean peninsula - in fact reversing some of the steps that they had previously taken and previously committed to," he said. "All of that said, what they have done thus far is reversible."

McCormack said U.S. monitors remain in the town of Yongbyon, although he was unaware whether they - like the IAEA inspectors - would be barred from the nuclear complex.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in brief comments to reporters Thursday, said the Bush administration is reviewing the state of the nuclear negotiations.

The chief U.S. delegate to the six-party talks, Christopher Hill, last week paid a three-day visit to North Korea, at Pyongyang's invitation, to discuss the process.

The State Department has characterized those talks as helpful, but has refused to say whether North Korea has made proposals to try to get the process back on track.

On a related issue, spokesman McCormack cautioned Pyongyang against taking steps that would raise tensions on the Korean peninsula - this, amid reports of friction between North and South Korea over North Korean missile tests.

Pyongyang this week has test-fired short range missiles in the Yellow Sea and accused South Korean navy vessels, apparently monitoring the tests, of violating its territorial waters.

North Korea has indicated that additional tests may follow.

McCormack said North Korean tests of long-range ballistic missiles are barred under a U.N. Security Council resolution approved after North Korea tested a nuclear weapon in 2006.