Rice Says North Korean Nuclear Declaration Coming Soon | Voice of America - English
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday North Korea will soon produce its long-overdue declaration of its nuclear programs and activities. Rice defended Bush administration policy on the North Korea nuclear issue in an address to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington research organization.
Rice did not cite reasons for her optimism,but said she expects the declaration to be handed over to the Chinesesponsors of the six-party talks soon, and that the United States willrespond by moving to take North Korea off its  list of state sponsorsof terrorism and dropping related sanctions. Pyongyang was tohave issued the declaration at the end of last year, revealing all itsnuclear programs, holdings  and activities including any involvement innuclear proliferation. The lack of the declaration has slowedimplementation of the six-party accord, under which North Korea is togive up its nuclear program including weapons in return for aid anddiplomatic benefits from the other parties. U.S. conservatives,skeptical about dealing with North Korea's communist government, havebeen prominent critics of the six-party process. In her speechto the Heritage Foundation, Rice stressed that the United States hasgiven North Korea no significant benefits thus far beyond shipments ofheavy fuel oil, and that bad faith by Pyongyang at any point in theprocess would scuttle the deal. But she said the United Stateswill keep its end of the bargain if North Korea does the same,including reciprocal steps tied to the promised declaration: "NorthKorea will soon give its declaration of nuclear programs to China, thechair of the denuclearization working group," said Condoleezza Rice."President Bush would then notify Congress of our intention to removeNorth Korea from the State sponsors of terrorism list, and to cease theapplication of the Trading with the Enemy Act. In the next 45 daysafter that, before those actions go into effect, we would continue toassess the level of North Korean cooperation, in helping to verify theaccuracy and completeness of its declaration. If that cooperation isinsufficient, we will respond accordingly." Rice said the UnitedStates will not just trust Pyongyang on its declaration anddisarmament, but demand on rigorous verification including on-siteinspection and sampling, and interviews with North Koreas involved inthe program. She said the United States already knows NorthKorean produced enough plutonium for several nuclear weapons includingthe device it tested in 2006, and provided nuclear technology to Syria. Butshe said U.S. officials have yet to learn, and will insist on beingtold of, the full extent of North Korean proliferation activity and geta complete account of a what she described as a troublinguranium-enrichment effort by that country. Rice further assuredher audience that the nuclear deal will not stop the United States frompressing for improvement in what she termed the horrible and deplorablecondition of the North Korean people. She said U.S specialenvoy for North Korean human rights Jay Lefkowitz will soon travel tothe region to discuss U.S. concerns with North Korea's neighbors. Riceherself is due to begin an Asian tour next week starting with a meetingof G-8 foreign ministers in Japan. The chief U.S. envoy to thesix-party talks, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, istraveling in the region this week.