N. Korea: We'll Freeze Nuke Program If U.S. Helps
Tuesday, December 09, 2003
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Tuesday it will freeze its nuclear weapons program if Washington takes the communist country off its list of terrorism-sponsoring nations and provides fuel aid, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.
If the United States meets this demand, North Korea said it will join a second round of six-nation talks aimed at persuading Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear weapons programs.
"In return for the freezing of our nuclear activities, the United States must remove our country's name from the list of terrorism sponsoring countries; lift its political, economic, military sanctions and blockade; and give us heavy oil, electricity and other energy assistance from the United States and neighboring countries," North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by its official news agency, KCNA.
KCNA was monitored by Yonhap.
"If this takes place, a foundation to continue six-nation talks will be created," the spokesman said.
During a first round of six-way talks between the United States, Russia, China, Japan and the two Koreas, held in August in Beijing, North Korea recommended a package deal in which each side take four steps. It seemed to be recommending Tuesday that sides at least reach agreement to the first set of actions.
Under its initial proposal, North Korea would declare its willingness to give up nuclear development, allow nuclear inspections, give up missiles exports and finally dismantle its nuclear weapons facilities. In return, it demanded economic and humanitarian aid, security assurances, diplomatic ties and new power plants.
The North had wanted Washington to issue the assurances simultaneously with a Northern renunciation of its nuclear weapons program, while the United States wanted the North to move first.
Last week, the United States, Japan and South Korea worked out their own statement on how to end the nuclear crisis, and has asked China to deliver it to North Korea.
A senior official at South Korea's Unification Ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Monday that the U.S.-backed proposal calls for "coordinated steps" to dismantle Pyongyang's weapons program, compared with the North's demands for "simultaneous action."
The United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas have been trying for weeks to jump-start a second round of six-way talks on easing tensions. The first round of talks in Beijing ended without much progress, and they had hoped for a new meeting in mid-December.
The main sticking points were when the United States should provide North Korea with security guarantees and how to verify whether North Korea has truly abandoned its nuclear ambitions.
In Washington, State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said Monday that he believed there still was time for new talks before year's end, but declined to give details of the U.S.-backed plan.
Notably missing from the reported U.S.-backed proposal are details of economic aid for North Korea and a clear demand that North Korea rejoin the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which it quit earlier this year.
foxnews.com |
