Incredible. It took them less than 24 hours. The want a nuclear reactor. I've got a plan, Bush gives them a dozen "nuclear reactions" and said he must have misunderstood what they wanted. We've all tried to read instructions translated into English from an Asian language, Bush could easily claim that's what happened here.
Pledge to rejoin arms treaty tied to light-water reactors from United States
BEIJING - North Korea insisted Tuesday that the United States give it light-water nuclear reactors before it rejoins the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The North’s Foreign Ministry made the demand in a statement a day after it agreed at six-nation talks in Beijing to give up its nuclear program and rejoin the treaty.
“As clarified in the joint statement, we will return to the NPT and sign the safeguards agreement with the IAEA and comply with it immediately upon the U.S. provision of LWRs, a basis of confidence-building to us,” the ministry said in the statement, carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.
On Monday, North Korea agreed to dismantle nuclear weapons and its atomic facilities in exchange for energy aid, economic cooperation and security assurances, a breakthrough that marked a first step toward disarmament after two years of six-nation talks.
The chief U.S. envoy praised Monday’s development as a “win-win situation” and “good agreement for all of us.” But he promptly urged Pyongyang, which also agreed to international inspections, to make good on its promises by ending operations at its main nuclear facility at Yongbyon.
“What is the purpose of operating it at this point?” said Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill. “The time to turn it off would be about now.”
Despite the deal’s potential to help significantly ease friction between the North and the United States after years of false starts and setbacks, Hill remained cautious. “We have to see what comes in the days and weeks ahead,” he said.
Encouraged, but skeptical
Before the North's tweak of its agreement, President Bush called the Monday development a positive step, but he expressed some skepticism about whether North Korea will live up to its promises.
“They have said — in principle — that they will abandon their weapons programs,” Bush said. “And what we have said is, ‘Great. That’s a wonderful step forward.’ But now we’ve got to verify whether that happens.”
“The question is, over time, will all parties adhere to the agreement,” Bush said.
The agreement clinched seven days of talks aimed at setting out general principles for the North’s disarmament. Envoys agreed to return in early November to begin hashing out details of how that will be done.
Pledge to rejoin arms treaty tied to light-water reactors from United States
BEIJING - North Korea insisted Tuesday that the United States give it light-water nuclear reactors before it rejoins the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The North’s Foreign Ministry made the demand in a statement a day after it agreed at six-nation talks in Beijing to give up its nuclear program and rejoin the treaty.
“As clarified in the joint statement, we will return to the NPT and sign the safeguards agreement with the IAEA and comply with it immediately upon the U.S. provision of LWRs, a basis of confidence-building to us,” the ministry said in the statement, carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.
On Monday, North Korea agreed to dismantle nuclear weapons and its atomic facilities in exchange for energy aid, economic cooperation and security assurances, a breakthrough that marked a first step toward disarmament after two years of six-nation talks.
The chief U.S. envoy praised Monday’s development as a “win-win situation” and “good agreement for all of us.” But he promptly urged Pyongyang, which also agreed to international inspections, to make good on its promises by ending operations at its main nuclear facility at Yongbyon.
“What is the purpose of operating it at this point?” said Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill. “The time to turn it off would be about now.”
Despite the deal’s potential to help significantly ease friction between the North and the United States after years of false starts and setbacks, Hill remained cautious. “We have to see what comes in the days and weeks ahead,” he said.
Encouraged, but skeptical
Before the North's tweak of its agreement, President Bush called the Monday development a positive step, but he expressed some skepticism about whether North Korea will live up to its promises.
“They have said — in principle — that they will abandon their weapons programs,” Bush said. “And what we have said is, ‘Great. That’s a wonderful step forward.’ But now we’ve got to verify whether that happens.”
“The question is, over time, will all parties adhere to the agreement,” Bush said.
The agreement clinched seven days of talks aimed at setting out general principles for the North’s disarmament. Envoys agreed to return in early November to begin hashing out details of how that will be done.