-Caveat Lector- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?artid=25485861 North Korea stuns US by saying it has nukes CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA
TIMES NEWS NETWORK, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2002 08:40:09 PM WASHINGTON: The Bush administration's non-proliferation policy has gone completely out of kilter following revelations that North Korea has been cheating on Washington by having a thriving nuclear weapons programme "and possibly weapons itself "in violation of agreements it signed in return for aid from the United States. The stunning disclosures, confirmed by North Korea, immediately raised questions about US moves on Iraq because Pyong Yang's actions appear far more egregious than Baghdad's which is still said to be some years away from possessing nuclear weapons. By contrast, North Korea has not only acknowledged the existence of a nuclear weapons programme but also said it possesses "more powerful" weapons as well. The North Koreans apparently confirmed the violation when confronted with evidence earlier this month by visiting US diplomats. Senior US officials have described the North Korean violation as a "very serious material breach." In effect, Washington appears to have been suckered by North Korea because the US had sought to buy out the renegade country's nuclear programme in a 1994 deal that promised a non-lethal nuclear reactor to produce power and other economic aid if it gave up its pursuit of weapons. Faced with North Korea the in-your-face acknowledgment, Washington is going into a huddle with allies in the region such as Japan and South Korea and consulting with Congress. Other than that, its reactions have been mild, especially compared to the hardline it has taken on Iraq. One US official called on North Korea to "comply with all of its commitments under the non-proliferation treaty and to eliminate its nuclear weapons programme in a verifiable manner." "What we seek is a peaceful resolution of this situation," the official was quoted as saying. Washington's cautious and timid response is indicative of the problems it faces in confronting a country which though impoverished, may already have weapons of mass destruction to back a million-strong army ready to bear down on its neighbour and US ally South Korea. North Korea already has a well-proven ballistic missile capability that it has sold to Pakistan, in return, according to speculation in proliferation circles, for help in mastering nuclear weapons technology. Taking on North Korea will also mean opening up a second front after Iraq. For now, the Bush administration appears to have decided on turning on the economic screws on North Korea. In a statement released on Wednesday night, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher cited a laundry list of demands in exchange for which the United States "was prepared to offer economic and political steps to improve the lives of the North Korean people." Washington wanted the renegade country to "dramatically to alter its behaviour across a range of issues" including its weapons of mass destruction programmes, development and export of ballistic missiles, threats to its neighbours, support for terrorism, and the deplorable treatment of the North Korean people. "In light of our concerns about the North" nuclear weapons programme, however, we are unable to pursue this approach" the statement concluded. _ <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http://archive.jab.org/ctrl@;listserv.aol.com/ <A HREF="http://archive.jab.org/ctrl@;listserv.aol.com/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
