ID :
36019
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 09:39
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/36019
The shortlink copeid
Report calls for closer int'l cooperation to check N. Korean nuke proliferation
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. congressional report Tuesday called for
closer cooperation among nuclear powers and the international nuclear watchdog
agency, saying the nuclear armament of North Korea and Iran will lead to
dangerous proliferation.
"It appears that we are at a tipping point in proliferation," said the report
from the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States.
"If Iran and North Korea proceed unchecked to build nuclear arsenals, there is a
serious possibility of a cascade of proliferation following."
The report was cautiously optimistic about the six-party talks on ending North
Korea's nuclear ambitions.
"The six-party talks have had limited success to date in dealing with North
Korea, but may ultimately be successful," it said.
North Korea is disabling its nuclear facilities under an aid-for-denuclearization
deal signed by the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia, although the
latest round of the talks, which began in 2003, hit another snag recently over
how to verify the nuclear list presented by the North in June.
Incoming U.S. President Barack Obama has said he will continue the six-way talks,
although in parallel with more direct engagement with the North.
The report expressed concern about a lack of a commensurate diplomacy on Iran's
nuclear ambitions, noting there is no "similarly comprehensive diplomatic
approach to Iran, which has constructed a major facility for enriching uranium."
The report also said nuclear proliferation will increase the chances of terrorist
groups getting nuclear bombs or fissile material.
"Even if a terror group is not able to acquire a weapon from a nuclear state, it
could build a crude nuclear device if it were able to acquire the necessary
fissile material," it said.
The report noted that the International Atomic Energy Agency has proposed
measures for strengthening of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, but has had
little support from its member states.
It was apparently referring to the lukewarm attitude of non-nuclear states that
insist that nuclear powers do their part in nuclear disarmament before enforcing
nonproliferation worldwide.
"Thus dealing with the increasingly dangerous threat of proliferation requires us
to find a way of cooperation with many other nations, including but not limited
to, all of the nuclear powers," the report said. "And it requires working
effectively with the IAEA."
"It is not clear that actions we take on our nuclear program affect the nuclear
calculus of North Korea or Iran, or necessarily others, but they do affect the
actions of nations whose cooperation we need to deal with North Korea and Iran as
well as other proliferation problems," it said.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. congressional report Tuesday called for
closer cooperation among nuclear powers and the international nuclear watchdog
agency, saying the nuclear armament of North Korea and Iran will lead to
dangerous proliferation.
"It appears that we are at a tipping point in proliferation," said the report
from the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States.
"If Iran and North Korea proceed unchecked to build nuclear arsenals, there is a
serious possibility of a cascade of proliferation following."
The report was cautiously optimistic about the six-party talks on ending North
Korea's nuclear ambitions.
"The six-party talks have had limited success to date in dealing with North
Korea, but may ultimately be successful," it said.
North Korea is disabling its nuclear facilities under an aid-for-denuclearization
deal signed by the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia, although the
latest round of the talks, which began in 2003, hit another snag recently over
how to verify the nuclear list presented by the North in June.
Incoming U.S. President Barack Obama has said he will continue the six-way talks,
although in parallel with more direct engagement with the North.
The report expressed concern about a lack of a commensurate diplomacy on Iran's
nuclear ambitions, noting there is no "similarly comprehensive diplomatic
approach to Iran, which has constructed a major facility for enriching uranium."
The report also said nuclear proliferation will increase the chances of terrorist
groups getting nuclear bombs or fissile material.
"Even if a terror group is not able to acquire a weapon from a nuclear state, it
could build a crude nuclear device if it were able to acquire the necessary
fissile material," it said.
The report noted that the International Atomic Energy Agency has proposed
measures for strengthening of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, but has had
little support from its member states.
It was apparently referring to the lukewarm attitude of non-nuclear states that
insist that nuclear powers do their part in nuclear disarmament before enforcing
nonproliferation worldwide.
"Thus dealing with the increasingly dangerous threat of proliferation requires us
to find a way of cooperation with many other nations, including but not limited
to, all of the nuclear powers," the report said. "And it requires working
effectively with the IAEA."
"It is not clear that actions we take on our nuclear program affect the nuclear
calculus of North Korea or Iran, or necessarily others, but they do affect the
actions of nations whose cooperation we need to deal with North Korea and Iran as
well as other proliferation problems," it said.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
