To: tonto who wrote (62244 ) 6/2/2005 12:11:55 PM From: Proud_Infidel Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 81568 US Intercepted Two NK Shipments WASHINGTON (Yonhap) _ The United States and its allies have intercepted two deliveries of materials useful in making nuclear and chemical weapons by North Korea, the State Department said Tuesday. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher made the disclosure in remarks to reporters, citing 11 successful efforts in the past nine months by the United States and its allies in an anti-proliferation campaign, called the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). `I have cited two cases involving North Korea. I’ve cited several cases involving countries of proliferation concern, including Iran,’’ Boucher said in a press briefing. ``In addition, we worked to impede the progress of North Korean weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, for example, bilateral cooperation with several governments prevented North Korea from receiving materials used in making chemical weapons and cooperation with another country blocked the transfer to North Korea of a material useful in its nuclear programs,’’ he said. The disclosure comes amid signs that the United States is toughening its stance toward North Korea which remains unmoved in its refusal to rejoin stalled six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons program. Two weeks ago, the United States halted recovery operations in North Korea of the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War and has since decided to temporarily deploy 15 F-117 stealth bombers in South Korea. U.S. President George W. Bush is scheduled to meet South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun at the White House on June 10 which officials of both sides say would focus on North Korea. U.S. officials have recently grown more impatient with the Asian communist country, with some openly warning that ``other options’’ should be considered. A likely U.S. choice is a referral of the issue to the U.S. Security Council for possible sanctions. The PSI, launched two years ago, brings together the U.S. and some 60 allies in a joint effort to intercept the transportation of equipment and materials that can be used to manufacture chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Also on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the PSI provided the ``framework’’ for interdicting centrifuge components bound for Libya and said it helped end the African state’s nuclear weapons program. ``PSI partners, working at times with others, have prevented Iran from procuring goods to support its missile and WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programs, including its nuclear program,’’ Rice said in a speech marking the second anniversary of the PSI. Bush said the PSI is playing a major role in helping to stop the trafficking of WMDs. ``We are working in common cause with like-minded states prepared to make maximum use of their laws and capabilities to deny rogue states, terrorists and black marketers access’’ to illegal weapons, Bush said in a statement. times.hankooki.com