International   

DPRK misses nuclear declaration deadline

SINGAPORE: The North Korean authorities have missed the year-end deadline for issuing a comprehensive declaration of their nuclear weapons programme, according to South Korea.

In a statement, a spokesperson of the Republic of Korea (RoK) said in Seoul on Monday “it is regrettable that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has not provided a declaration of all its nuclear [arms] programmes by December 31, 2007, as committed in the October 3rd agreement.”

The agreement in focus was reached by the two Koreas — the DPRK and the RoK — besides the United States, China, Japan, and Russia. China chairs the six-party talks, involving these countries, on the whole gamut of issues concerning the de-nuclearisation of the entire Korean peninsula.

The anticipated declaration by the DPRK, in addition to the ongoing internationally-supervised “disablement” of the nuclear facilities at the Yongbyon complex in that country, constitute the “second phase” of this de-nuclearisation.

Noting that “substantial progress” was being made in the current process of “disablement,” the RoK urged the DPRK to “faithfully declare all [its] nuclear programmes at an early date and to complete disablement measures without delay.”

The objective was to enter into the next phase of “dismantlement” of the DPRK’s nuclear facilities “as soon as possible.”

At the centre of the “declaration” diplomacy is the effort by the U.S. to persuade or pressure the DPRK to “come clean” about its suspected uranium enrichment programme, according to regional diplomats.

The DPRK has so far cooperated with the other five parties on matters relating to its plutonium-based nuclear programme. U.S. President George W. Bush wrote a rare personal letter to the DPRK leader, Kim Jong-il, on December 1, urging him to make a correct and complete declaration.

Mr. Kim, aware of the U.S. “concerns,” may now have to reckon with the new political reality that the RoK President-elect has already taken a tougher line on this nuclear issue than the present administration in Seoul, diplomats point out.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Scores killed in riots across Kenya
U.K. law clears way for Russian exhibition
DPRK misses nuclear declaration deadline
Brown offers help in Benazir assassination probe
LTTE training camp destroyed
27 injured in Thailand blasts
U.S. zoo faces lawsuit for tiger attack on visitors
Italian boats to patrol Libyan waters to curb migrant flow
Merkel warns of worldwide economic risks
Hollywood writers threaten breakaway
Ranatunga appointed Chairman

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu