ID :
55917
Fri, 04/17/2009 - 07:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/55917
The shortlink copeid
U.S. urges N. Korea to reverse decision to expel int'l inspectors
WASHINGTON, April 16 (Yonhap) -- The United State Thursday called on North Korea to reverse its decision to expel international inspectors from its nuclear facilities following the U.N. Security Council's condemnation of the North's recent rocket launch, warning of consequences.
"Reversing this decision would be the most immediate (thing) that we would like
to see happen, and then of course, getting back to the six-party framework,"
State Department spokesman Robert Wood said.
North Korea has expelled several inspectors from the International Atomic Energy
Agency and four American monitors are preparing to leave at the request of
Pyongyang, which denounced the Security Council statement as an infringement on
its sovereign right to launch a satellite into space.
"If we don't have our people on the ground, they're not able to monitor and
observe what's happening, and that's deeply troubling to not only the United
States but other members of the six-party talks and others in the international
community," Wood said. "So that would be the ultimate priority right now; and
then, of course, moving them back to the six-party framework."
The inspectors have been monitoring for years the disabling of North Korea's
nuclear facilities under a six-party deal, which calls for the scrapping of the
North's nuclear programs in return for hefty energy and economic aid and
political benefits.
In a response to the adoption of the statement by the Security Council, North
Korea Tuesday declared it will never again attend the six-party talks, will
restart its disabled nuclear facilities and strengthen its nuclear deterrent.
The multilateral nuclear talks, which have been on and off since their inception
in 2003, hit another snag in December over how to verify the North's nuclear
activity.
Some analysts say North Korea's strong response represents its willingness to
abandon the six-party talks and engage the U.S. bilaterally with the aim of
establishing itself as a nuclear weapons state.
Wood warned of consequences from the expulsion of inspectors.
"The Security Council has spoken through that presidential statement, made very
clear what is required of the North," the spokesman said. "Should the North not
comply, then they will have to deal with the consequences of that decision."
The council's statement calls for a sanctions committee to present by the end of
this month a list of North Korean firms and goods to be subject to a trade and
arms embargo described in a U.N. resolution adopted in 2006 after North Korea's
ballistic missile and nuclear tests.
The resolution has been neglected due to lack of proper implementation measures.
Reports said about 10 North Korean firms will be blacklisted.
Wood would not elaborate.
"I don't want to put a number on it," he said. "But we're obviously going to look
very closely at those entities that have been providing support, that could
provide support to the North's program, and those goods that would in any way
contribute to continuation of the North's program."
The U.S. government has been contacting North Korea as well as other relevant
governments over the ouster of the inspectors and resumption of the six-party
talks, the spokesman said.
"I don't want to get into which channel we have had discussions with the North,
but just to say that we have relayed our views to the North," he said.
Wood said he did not know if Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for
North Korea, had talked to North Korean officials recently, but added, "He's
talked to the other parties."
Regarding a possible trip to Pyongyang by Bosworth, Wood said, "I'm not aware of
any at this point. I'm not going to rule out the fact that he may, at some point,
travel. But I don't have anything right now in terms of a travel schedule."
Bosworth traveled to South Korea, China and Japan last month to discuss
resumption of the six-party talks and other issues related to the North, but he
did not go to Pyongyang at that time as the North Korean government refused to
accept him.
"Reversing this decision would be the most immediate (thing) that we would like
to see happen, and then of course, getting back to the six-party framework,"
State Department spokesman Robert Wood said.
North Korea has expelled several inspectors from the International Atomic Energy
Agency and four American monitors are preparing to leave at the request of
Pyongyang, which denounced the Security Council statement as an infringement on
its sovereign right to launch a satellite into space.
"If we don't have our people on the ground, they're not able to monitor and
observe what's happening, and that's deeply troubling to not only the United
States but other members of the six-party talks and others in the international
community," Wood said. "So that would be the ultimate priority right now; and
then, of course, moving them back to the six-party framework."
The inspectors have been monitoring for years the disabling of North Korea's
nuclear facilities under a six-party deal, which calls for the scrapping of the
North's nuclear programs in return for hefty energy and economic aid and
political benefits.
In a response to the adoption of the statement by the Security Council, North
Korea Tuesday declared it will never again attend the six-party talks, will
restart its disabled nuclear facilities and strengthen its nuclear deterrent.
The multilateral nuclear talks, which have been on and off since their inception
in 2003, hit another snag in December over how to verify the North's nuclear
activity.
Some analysts say North Korea's strong response represents its willingness to
abandon the six-party talks and engage the U.S. bilaterally with the aim of
establishing itself as a nuclear weapons state.
Wood warned of consequences from the expulsion of inspectors.
"The Security Council has spoken through that presidential statement, made very
clear what is required of the North," the spokesman said. "Should the North not
comply, then they will have to deal with the consequences of that decision."
The council's statement calls for a sanctions committee to present by the end of
this month a list of North Korean firms and goods to be subject to a trade and
arms embargo described in a U.N. resolution adopted in 2006 after North Korea's
ballistic missile and nuclear tests.
The resolution has been neglected due to lack of proper implementation measures.
Reports said about 10 North Korean firms will be blacklisted.
Wood would not elaborate.
"I don't want to put a number on it," he said. "But we're obviously going to look
very closely at those entities that have been providing support, that could
provide support to the North's program, and those goods that would in any way
contribute to continuation of the North's program."
The U.S. government has been contacting North Korea as well as other relevant
governments over the ouster of the inspectors and resumption of the six-party
talks, the spokesman said.
"I don't want to get into which channel we have had discussions with the North,
but just to say that we have relayed our views to the North," he said.
Wood said he did not know if Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for
North Korea, had talked to North Korean officials recently, but added, "He's
talked to the other parties."
Regarding a possible trip to Pyongyang by Bosworth, Wood said, "I'm not aware of
any at this point. I'm not going to rule out the fact that he may, at some point,
travel. But I don't have anything right now in terms of a travel schedule."
Bosworth traveled to South Korea, China and Japan last month to discuss
resumption of the six-party talks and other issues related to the North, but he
did not go to Pyongyang at that time as the North Korean government refused to
accept him.
