Posted on 02/22/2007 5:41:38 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
U.S. urged to reassess claim against North Korea
By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic Correspondent
Wed Feb 21, 7:20 PM ET
The United States should reexamine a questionable charge that North Korea has a covert uranium enrichment program, a key American complaint against Pyongyang that could complicate the new nuclear weapons deal, experts said on Wednesday.
Physicist David Albright, who recently visited the isolated communist state, likened the enrichment program charge to the "fiasco" of flawed U.S. intelligence that mistakenly concluded Iraq had a secret nuclear weapons program in the runup to war.
The CIA in 2002 said North Korea began purchasing large quantities of centrifuge-related equipment in 2001 and was building a plant that could produce enough weapons-grade uranium for two or more nuclear weapons annually, perhaps by 2005.
Albright told a news conference "it may be another case of lack of evidence" because there has been no recent data to support the claim and the North may not have built the plant.
"It's long overdue for the United States to revisit that assessment," added Albright, head of the Institute for Science and International Security.
But a U.S. official told Reuters: "There's a strong body of evidence they had made an effort to develop an industrial-scale (enrichment) program. How far they've gotten -- we can debate that. How much we can prove -- that's another question."
Although U.S. officials said North Korea initially acknowledged the uranium program during a 2002 meeting, Pyongyang has since denied its existence.
Under a breakthrough deal last week, the North agreed to seal its main nuclear reactor and the source of its publicly acknowledged weapons-grade plutonium in return for an initial 50,000 tons of fuel or equivalent economic aid.
MAJOR CHALLENGE
The agreement requires North Korea to declare its nuclear activities. This will be a major challenge because, if the uranium enrichment program is not included, the deal could run aground, the U.S. official said.
Albright said that during recent talks in Pyongyang, senior North Korean officials continued to deny the enrichment program but told him and Asia expert Joel Wit they were willing to resolve the issue because it soured relations with Washington.
"We need clarity on the extent of the North Korean program. It cannot be swept under the rug," another U.S. official said.
At the news conference and in a new report, Albright said North Korea can make a nuclear warhead that can be mounted on missiles capable of hitting all of South Korea and most of Japan. He also said the impoverished state had separated enough plutonium for five to 12 nuclear weapons.
Many proliferation experts doubt North Korea has the ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead to fit on a missile and Albright acknowledged many Asian governments disputed his findings.
But he said Pyongyang probably obtained technology from the nuclear black market of rogue Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan and had been working for years to put a crude nuclear warhead on a Nodong missile.
Wit called the nuclear deal "a good step forward" but said "there is a serious risk of failure ... (that could lead to a) dangerous crisis" because the agreement is so complicated.
He urged the United States to lead the process going forward and work hard at improving diplomatic relations with Pyongyang because this will help smooth over the inevitable future rough patches.
This is a dangerous proposal. Boy, things are changing fast. I am sure that Iran, especially, its loose-cannon president, would be really pleased to see this development.
Ping!
They admit that they do. What is this guy thinking?
Seems like Jong-Il has an easy time pulling the wool over the eyes of people named "Albright."
" Physicist David Albright, "
Hmmmmm...
An interesting similarity in name with someone else intimately linked to the "Appease NK" movement...
Coincidence??
korea will probably break the seal after they get the aid they ask for. It's happened before.
Apparently, he is another member of 'Sunshine club.' This is typical liberal MO. When reality is inconvenient, rehash it until it becomes to their liking.
You got it !
If you are going to give the barn away, might as well throw in a few farming tools and the family car.
IRAN's intransigence is DIRECTLY related to what they see the Bush Administration doing with North Korean (conciliatory concession one after another, and window dressing replies by the North in response).
How is Japan reacting to all of this? What's their take? Thanks!
As with most American efforts involving dealing with Asia (with the exception of WWII) with respect to our enemies we may have in that region and that culture, that once again The Americans were worn down by the very patient, shrewd, tricky and immensely stubborn North Koreans.
Since this article was posted, the CIA (according to the WSJ) has indicated in congressional testimony that it is now less sure of the previous findings concerning North Korean uranium production.
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