Posted on 10/16/2002 8:54:29 PM PDT by livis_dad
U.S.: North Korea Says Has Nukes Wed Oct 16, 9:44 PM ET By GEORGE GEDDA, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - In a startling revelation, North Korea (news - web sites) has told the United States it has a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of an 1994 agreement with the United States, the White House said Wednesday night.
Spokesman Sean McCormack said North Korea was in "material breach" of the agreement under which it promised not to develop nuclear weapons.
The commitment had raised hopes for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, but that hope is dashed for the time being, and relations with the United States are back to square one.
The two countries had just resumed high-level security talks less than two weeks ago for the first time in two years. It was during those discussions that North Korea informed the United States of its nuclear activities.
McCormack said the United States is consulting with it allies, South Korea (news - web sites) and Japan, and with members of Congress on next steps.
"We seek a peaceful resolution of this situation," McCormack said. "Everyone in the region has a stake in this issue and no peaceful nation wants to see a nuclear-armed North Korea."
"The United States and our allies call on North Korea to comply with its commitments under the nonproliferation treaty and to eliminate its nuclear weapons program in a verifiable manner."
U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said North Korea told U.S. officials that it is no longer bound by the anti-nuclear agreement.
The dramatic disclosure complicates President Bush (news - web sites)'s campaign to disarm Iraq under threat of military force, coming almost nine months after Bush said North Korea was part of an "axis of evil" along with Iran and Iraq.
It seems unlikely, however, that North Korea will become a target country for the United States much as Iraq is nowadays. With war plans for Iraq already on the drawing board and a broader war on terrorism still under way, threats against North Korea could leave the United States overextended.
Until now, the United States' main concern with North Korea has been its sale of ballistic missiles to Syria, Iran and other countries. Now North Korea's nuclear program is added to the mix.
The United States has been suspicious about North Korea's nuclear intentions for some time despite the agreement.
A CIA (news - web sites) report in January said that during the second half of last year, North Korea "continued its attempts procure technology worldwide that could have applications in its nuclear program.
"We assess that North Korea has produced enough plutonium for at least one, and possibly two, nuclear weapons."
South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Tae-sik said South Korea has consistently pursued the de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula in line with international agreements.
"We urge North Korea to abide by its obligations," he said. There was no immediate response from the Japanese government. Japan and South Korea are treaty allies of the United States.
Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly visited North Korea on Oct. 3-5 and demanded that the communist state address global concerns about its nuclear and other weapons programs.
In response, the Pyongyang government accused Bush's special envoy of making "threatening remarks." The United States refused all comment on the discussions.
Under the 1994 agreement, North Korea promised to give up its nuclear weapons program and to allow inspections to verify that it did not have the material needed to construct such weapons.
But it has yet to allow the inspections, drawing criticism from the Bush administration.
The agreement also called for the construction of two light water nuclear reactors to replace the plutonium-producing reactors Pyongyang had been using. The reactors were being financed mostly by South Korea and Japan. Construction of the reactors began just two months ago.
An administration source said Kelly also raised with North Korea evidence that Pyongyang may have a uranimum-enrichment program. The program, which the United States believes would only be used to develop a nuclear bomb, began under the Clinton administration, according to the official.
Surprisingly, North Korea confirmed the allegation.
The Bush administration has not decided how to respond. "We're going to keep talking," an official said.
After months of tension with South Korea, the North resumed high-level talks in August that restarted stalled reconciliation efforts on the Korean peninsula — divided by the most heavily armed border in the world.
WASHINGTON (AP) - In a startling revelation, North Korea (news - web sites) has told the United States it has a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of an 1994 agreement with the United States, the White House said Wednesday night.
AP Photo
Spokesman Sean McCormack said North Korea was in "material breach" of the agreement under which it promised not to develop nuclear weapons.
The commitment had raised hopes for a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, but that hope is dashed for the time being, and relations with the United States are back to square one.
The two countries had just resumed high-level security talks less than two weeks ago for the first time in two years. It was during those discussions that North Korea informed the United States of its nuclear activities.
McCormack said the United States is consulting with it allies, South Korea (news - web sites) and Japan, and with members of Congress on next steps.
"We seek a peaceful resolution of this situation," McCormack said. "Everyone in the region has a stake in this issue and no peaceful nation wants to see a nuclear-armed North Korea."
"The United States and our allies call on North Korea to comply with its commitments under the nonproliferation treaty and to eliminate its nuclear weapons program in a verifiable manner."
U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said North Korea told U.S. officials that it is no longer bound by the anti-nuclear agreement.
The dramatic disclosure complicates President Bush (news - web sites)'s campaign to disarm Iraq under threat of military force, coming almost nine months after Bush said North Korea was part of an "axis of evil" along with Iran and Iraq.
It seems unlikely, however, that North Korea will become a target country for the United States much as Iraq is nowadays. With war plans for Iraq already on the drawing board and a broader war on terrorism still under way, threats against North Korea could leave the United States overextended.
Until now, the United States' main concern with North Korea has been its sale of ballistic missiles to Syria, Iran and other countries. Now North Korea's nuclear program is added to the mix.
The United States has been suspicious about North Korea's nuclear intentions for some time despite the agreement.
A CIA (news - web sites) report in January said that during the second half of last year, North Korea "continued its attempts procure technology worldwide that could have applications in its nuclear program.
"We assess that North Korea has produced enough plutonium for at least one, and possibly two, nuclear weapons."
South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Tae-sik said South Korea has consistently pursued the de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula in line with international agreements.
"We urge North Korea to abide by its obligations," he said. There was no immediate response from the Japanese government. Japan and South Korea are treaty allies of the United States.
Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly visited North Korea on Oct. 3-5 and demanded that the communist state address global concerns about its nuclear and other weapons programs.
In response, the Pyongyang government accused Bush's special envoy of making "threatening remarks." The United States refused all comment on the discussions.
Under the 1994 agreement, North Korea promised to give up its nuclear weapons program and to allow inspections to verify that it did not have the material needed to construct such weapons.
But it has yet to allow the inspections, drawing criticism from the Bush administration.
The agreement also called for the construction of two light water nuclear reactors to replace the plutonium-producing reactors Pyongyang had been using. The reactors were being financed mostly by South Korea and Japan. Construction of the reactors began just two months ago.
An administration source said Kelly also raised with North Korea evidence that Pyongyang may have a uranimum-enrichment program. The program, which the United States believes would only be used to develop a nuclear bomb, began under the Clinton administration, according to the official.
Surprisingly, North Korea confirmed the allegation.
The Bush administration has not decided how to respond. "We're going to keep talking," an official said.
After months of tension with South Korea, the North resumed high-level talks in August that restarted stalled reconciliation efforts on the Korean peninsula — divided by the most heavily armed border in the world.
They can see what is or is about to happen to "rogue" state Iraq. Self preservation may be the motivator.
Now one can see that the "Axis of terror" had a good foundation--we must have known quite a bit about this revelation.
What is China's role? Probably not a small one.
North Korea, one of the pillars of Bush's "Axis of Evil," admits to having nukes, and the administration doesn't know what to do. Iraq, on the other hand, a nation without nuclear capabilities, must be taken out post-haste because it poses an imminent threat. How stupid do they think we are? I think we can begin to sum up the Bush Iraqi policy in one word: oil.
There are two parties?
Gee, I wonder where they learned that from?
Let's not forget our good friends the Communist Chinese, who have threatened to nuke Los Angeles.
This Iraq adventure doesn't seem to pass the smell test, if it's threats we're after.
I say the Bushies knew this "surprise" announcement was coming and it is all part of a larger plan. The media is reading this all wrong as usual.
Liberals have oil on the brain when it comes to W. And their logic on this one is about as sound as their logic on everything else. In this case, it goes like this:
W says we need to take down Hussein because of the threat he poses with his nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons programs, not to mention because Hussein has violated virtually every agreement he made with the U.S. AND the U.N. following his loss in the Gulf War (which HE started with his hostile invasion of neighboring Kuwait).
North Korea says it has a nuclear weapons program, though in 1994 they agreed NOT to pursue one - we just found this out.
This MUST mean that N. Korea poses a greater threat than Iraq (first point of faulty logic)
Since W wants to go after Iraq (which he's been talking about for about 6 months now), and not N. Korea (whom we JUST YESTERDAY learned also has nukes and therefore MAY be as great a threat as Iraq), it MUST be because of oil (second point of faulty logic), not because of the threat posed by Hussein's WOMD programs, and the potential for him to transfer such weapons to terrorists, who unlike actual states, are far more likely to use them.
Simply put, the conclusion does not follow logically from the premises. The suggestion that the Iraq war is about oil has no logical basis, and is not supported by your statements (as is the case with most liberal arguments).
Another Clinton foreign policy failure. I'm shocked!
"I think we can begin to sum up the Bush Iraqi policy in one word: oil.
Why are we warring against Iraq? "
MULTIPLE CHOICE
A Arab final solution
E Election
I Israel
O Oil
U Umbilical Dad
So maybe it's all of the above.
We knew Russia was violating nuclear treaties during the Cold War. Why do you assume that we were completely in the dark on North Korea?
"W says we need to take down Hussein because of the threat he poses with his nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons programs..."
I can't say for certain whether or not our war with Iraq will be about oil, but I do know that it isn't because Hussein poses a real threat. I mean, how can Iraq threaten us with something it doesn't have?
"This MUST mean that N. Korea poses a greater threat than Iraq (first point of faulty logic)."
Think about it--North Korea has nukes that can take out entire cities. Iraq doesn't. Which nation poses the biggest threat, the one with nuclear capabilites or the one without? It's not rocket science....well, okay, maybe it is rocket science when we're talking nuclear missiles.
I think this is really dumb on a lot of counts. First, we have to take on Iraq immediately precisely because they do not yet have nukes, but may gain them if we wait. If Iraq had nukes, we sure as hell wouldn't be about to launch a conventional attack... in response they'd send one into NYC in a cargo container and where would we be then?
Second, Saddam is an imminent threat because he's a madman and hates us. He tried to assassinate Bush senior, he torched the Kuwaiti oil fields in hopes of creating a nuclear winter. I have no real doubt he'd nuke us as his dying act if he could. The Korean dictator mostly just wants to be left alone to oppress the Korean people.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.