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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| N.Korea Rejects U.S. Demand for Nuclear Dismantlement |
| 2004-05-13 |
Thu May 13, 2004 01:43 PM ET BEIJING (Reuters) - North Korea said on Friday it would not be able to continue discussing possible solutions to a nuclear standoff unless the United States dropped demands for a complete dismantlement of the North’s nuclear arms programs. It is impossible to believe that North Korea does not understand how this is the ultimate deal-breaker. Pak Myong-kuk, a North Korean delegate to working group talks in Beijing, said Pyongyang was prepared to discuss the scope, timing and the length of a freeze of its nuclear activities and methods of verifying it. We’ve already seen the results of North Korean promises to "freeze" their nuclear activities. It can only be assumed that covert weapons development continues at present and would continue to happen during any putative freeze. "But the United States repeated its position that it would be willing to discuss the problem only under the precondition that we pledge a CVID," Pak said at a news conference. CVID refers to a complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of the nuclear programs. The working-level talks were set up at the second round of six-country talks in February. China has hosted the talks by the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia. I’ve yet to see China put anything on the table in the way of penalties should North Korea not comply. At some point this albatross needs to be hung right around China’s extremely culpable neck. "We expressed the position that we would not be able to continue discussing a freeze for compensation," he said. But Pak left the door open for further discussions, including another round of talks scheduled for later on Friday, saying it would continue the process with patience. "Patience" from America’s standpoint can only be interpreted as weakness in this matter. There needs to be made clear a well established scale of repercussions should there not be immediate steps towards a dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear program. A full maritime blockade of their nation and interdiction of air traffic needs to happen. These lying morons need to be starved out and winter is not coming soon enough. No one can afford to have more missile technology shipped to Iran or other rogue nations. Beside state sponsored distribution of narcotics, this seems to be one of their only other channels of hard currency intake. North Korea’s proliferation of missile technology alone is sufficiently destabilizing, their nuclear aspirations are merely (vehement) insult to injury. I’m interested to hear what other members at this site would consider to be appropriate and productive counter-measures that could be taken against North Korea. |
| Posted by:Zenster |
| #6 Woof! |
| Posted by: Fury 1 2004-05-13 4:03:53 PM |
| #5 Notice, this didn't come from Kim! Still no real "proof of life" from Dear Leader. |
| Posted by: Jen 2004-05-13 3:39:30 PM |
| #4 To the contrary, keep 'em talking, and talking, and talking right up to the moment they collapse and some general gets the idea that he should be the big cheeze at Diamond Mountain. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-05-13 3:38:42 PM |
| #3 Admiral Zenni, the EU doesn't consider this to be their problem. They're in bed with Red China and in their minds, China is "handling it." Have you ever seen the movie "Boogie Nights?" They think this is a YP--Your Problem, USA--and not an MP, My Problem. Once they tried to intervene in the Iran nuke matter and failed, they consider their work to be done. Get a clue, Zipperhead! |
| Posted by: Jen 2004-05-13 3:50:51 PM |
| #2 Bomb-a-rama, I agree except about the "waste of time" part. Any lack of progress towards dismantling North Korea's nuclear program must be interpreted as an explicit opportunity for them to continue developing atomic weapons. This is why I'm hoping to elicit some suggestions hereabouts as to how substantive progress can be made. There is also a glaring lack of protest from the EU over this matter despite the fact that North Korean missile technology sales to Iran will enable delivery of payloads into the European theater. This fact in combination with Iran's continued development of nuclear weapons should encourage European leaders to get on board with some sort of international coalition to deal with the issue, both in North Korea and Iran. It is delusional for them to think that North Korea is too far away for it to be of any immediate concern. (Although such a head-in-the-sand approach would be nothing new for them.) If Europe is unwilling to incur some degree of wrath from China by imposing their will about North Korea, such reticence must be drawn together with their implication in the "Food for Oil" scandal. Europe has already displayed such tendencies by refusing to assist with Taiwan's submarine contracts because of trade related saber-rattling by China. To constantly seek economic advantage at the price of turning a blind eye towards terrorism and it's sponsors is tantamount to sponsoring it themselves. One would think that Madrid's 3-11 attacks made all of this patently clear. If Europe is relying upon the IAEA to restrain Iran's nuclear aspirations they are worse than deluded. At that point they may as well outrightly facilitate proliferation of missile and nuclear technology themselves. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-05-13 3:46:40 PM |
| #1 North Korea said on Friday it would not be able to continue discussing possible solutions to a nuclear standoff unless the United States dropped demands for a complete dismantlement of the North’s nuclear arms programs. Then there is nothing further to talk about, and no further aid or assistance should be contemplated by either us or them. End of story. This constant talking without progress is simply a waste of time. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-05-13 3:00:13 PM |