| North Korea's nuclear weapons program remains | | | | The agreement was seen as a breakthrough. But |
| a key problem for the international community. In | | | | Dan Pinkston, North Korea expert with the |
| this report from Washington, VOA Senior | | | | Monterey Institute of International Studies, says |
| Correspondent André de Nesnera looks at | | | | the accord was vague. |
| the North Korea question and discusses some of | | | | "The agreement was certainly open to |
| the options facing the world community. | | | | interpretation, depending on how you looked at it," |
| The United States has been saying since October | | | | he explained. "It appeared to be very broad and |
| 2002 that North Korea has a secret nuclear | | | | to include what everybody wanted and so it |
| weapons program. Since then, Pyongyang has | | | | appeared to be a good agreement on the surface |
| pulled out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, | | | | that would make everyone better off. But of |
| expelled United Nations monitors, re-opened a | | | | course, the details are open to interpretation." |
| nuclear facility it had promised to dismantle in | | | | Analysts say in addition to being vague and being |
| 1994 and announced that it has developed some | | | | open to various interpretations, the accord had |
| nuclear devices. | | | | another drawback. David Arasé is an |
| Daryl Kimball heads the Arms Control Association, | | | | expert on North Korea with Pomona College. |
| an independent research organization. He says | | | | "The problem was that the timing of the |
| North Korea is manufacturing nuclear weapons, | | | | concessions was not made clear," said Mr. |
| though it is unclear how many warheads it may | | | | Arasé. "And so in November, when they |
| have. | | | | held another round of six-party talks to work on |
| "What North Korea has, right now, is the capability | | | | those details of actual implementation of the |
| to continue to produce enough plutonium for | | | | principle, the talks fell apart, because the North |
| some six nuclear bombs a year," he explained. | | | | wanted a guarantee of a nuclear reactor to |
| "They have a large number of spent fuel rods | | | | provide electricity for the North before it would |
| already at a facility near a town called Yongbyon | | | | give up completely, verifiably, irreversibly, its |
| that provides enough material to extract about | | | | nuclear weapons. Technically, the issue is the |
| six bombs worth of plutonium a year. So that | | | | timing of the implementation of the principle |
| work goes on right now. It is also possible, and | | | | signed in September." |
| suspected by many, that North Korea has been | | | | But experts say other issues having little to do |
| seeking the capability to enrich uranium. It's not | | | | with nuclear weapons have come up in the |
| clear how advanced that capability might be. | | | | six-party talks. Dan Pinkston from the Monterey |
| There is no known uranium enrichment facility. So | | | | Institute of International Studies, says the North |
| the main concern right now is that North Korea | | | | Koreans have reacted negatively to those issues |
| has enough nuclear bomb material for some three | | | | being brought up. |
| to nine nuclear weapons and is separating | | | | "They are dissatisfied with the fact that the U.S. is |
| plutonium as we speak that could be used to | | | | applying pressure in other areas, including naming a |
| make more." | | | | number of firms as having violated U.S. |
| For the past several years, the United States has | | | | non-proliferation laws," added Mr. Pinkston. "And |
| been trying to persuade North Korea to eliminate | | | | they have been placed on a sanctions list. There |
| its nuclear weapons program. That effort has | | | | was a bank in Macao that was blacklisted or had |
| been conducted through the negotiating forum | | | | its assets frozen by the U.S., which caused a run |
| known as the six-party talks, bringing together | | | | on the bank, for allegedly handling North Korean |
| the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South | | | | transfers, financial transfers related to the WMD |
| Korea and North Korea. | | | | [weapons of mass destruction] trade. So they are |
| After a 13-month hiatus, the six-party talks | | | | unhappy about that. There has been some |
| resumed last July. And Mr. Kimball says the parties | | | | discussion about counterfeiting and other illegal |
| reached an agreement several months later, | | | | activities." |
| during another round of talks. | | | | North Korea has denied involvement in such |
| "In September, the six parties reached agreement | | | | activities. But it has also decided to suspend its |
| on what is being referred to as a 'joint statement | | | | involvement in the six-party talks indefinitely |
| of principles,'" added Mr. Kimball. "It is more or less | | | | because of the sanctions imposed on Pyongyang |
| a 'terms of reference' for further negotiations to | | | | by the United States. |
| resolve this crisis. And what the 'joint statement | | | | Mr. Pinkston says the talks are at a standstill. |
| of principles' does, is it says that North Korea | | | | "All of the parties are dissatisfied," said Mr. |
| pledges to verifiably dismantle its nuclear weapons | | | | Pinkston. "Everyone is dissatisfied, but the |
| program. It also pledges the United States not to | | | | realization is that it could deteriorate and become |
| attack North Korea and it opens up the possibility | | | | much worse and everyone wants to avoid that. |
| for the normalization of relations between the | | | | That's why we are kind of sitting in this |
| United States and North Korea." | | | | stalemate. |