Progress with North Korea on nuclear issues
July 18th, 2007 by ashish
North Korea has always been seen as a suspicious entity for talks, not reliable; but carrying enough firepower (especially after its acquisition of a nuclear device) such that it needs to be talked to. In addition, it is involved in a fair amount of deception, including official complicity in smuggling and currency counterfeiting. So, it seems a bit difficult to believe that in the matter of trying to cap the nuclear capability, North Korea is cooperating fully and honestly. Ever since the money from Macao was released, North Korea does not seem to have taken a step wrong.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said North Korea had now shut five main nuclear facilities at Yongbyon. As well as a reactor already confirmed shut on the weekend, they included an atomic fuel reprocessing plant that can extract the plutonium that Pyongyang used for its first nuclear test-blast last year.
Under “phase two” of that agreement, the North will get 950,000 more tons of oil in return for “disabling” its atomic facilities and coming clean on its nuclear secrets. “We are ready to declare all our nuclear programs and disable the existing nuclear facilities at a proper time. But for us to do so, other countries should fulfill their obligations,” Kim told the meeting, according to another diplomatic source.
It is still hard to trust North Korea. But one thing seems certain, even though in the end the US had to back down and unlock the funds frozen, the freezing was very effective in its target (targeting funds personally belonging to the top leadership of North Korea).
Another reason why this discussion seems to be moving along is because of the unified front presented by the US, Japan, China and Russia. If divisions start appearing between them, especially when tough actions are required (as we see in the case of Darfur and Iran), then it will become more tricky, and North Korea can very easily exploit any such differences.
