Russia, U.S. differ over energy aid for N. Korea

SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Yonhap) -- The United States and Russia disagree over whether to
continue energy aid for North Korea after the latest round of six-way disarmament
talks collapsed, according to a news report on Sunday.
In an Oct. 3 accord struck last year with the U.S., South Korea, China, Japan and
Russia, North Korea is promised 1 million tons of fuel oil, or its equivalent in
return for disabling its main nuclear facility. Close to 600,000 tons have been
delivered so far.
The latest round of six-party talks broke down in Beijing on Thursday after North
Korea refused to promise in writing a key U.S. demand for taking samples from its
Yongbyon nuclear plant for testing.
In a non-binding statement that summarized the results of last week's six-party
talks, China said, "The Parties agreed, as described in the October 3 Second
Phase Agreement, to implement in parallel the disablement of the Yongbyon nuclear
facilities and the provision of economic energy assistance equivalent to one
million tons of heavy fuel oil."
But the U.S.later said it would halt further fuel shipments unless the North
gives in writing concrete verification assurances about its nuclear declaration
made in June.
"This is an action-for-action negotiation. I don't think you're going to see much
action from other parties until North Korea acts." State Department spokesman
Sean McCormack said in a press briefing. "Future fuel shipments aren't going to
move forward absent a verification regime."
He added that the other four negotiating parters, including Russia, also agreed
to the suspension of the energy aid.
Russia said it was "surprised" by the U.S. stance.
"We hope to complete shortly all of our quota of 200,000 tons of fuel," Deputy
Russian Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin was quoted as saying by Ria Novosti
news agency on Sunday.
"We hope that all the parties implicated in the six-party settlement will respect
their engagements," he added.
South Korea maintains a cautious approach.
"We will review the issue prudently," a foreign ministry official said, asking
not to be named. "It is a matter to be decided by each nation, which does not
require a compromise among the five parties."
North Korea threatened to slow the pace of disablement if the energy aid comes to
a halt.
"We do not care about whether it is suspended or supplied," Pyongyang's nuclear
envoy Kim Kye-gwan told reporters at the Beijing airport on Saturday as he headed
back to his country. "If it is not provided, we will probably adjust the speed of
the disabling."
lcd@yna.co.kr
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