ID :
36686
Sat, 12/20/2008 - 08:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/36686
The shortlink copeid
Rice says only an 'idiot' would trust N. Korea
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said only an
"idiot" would trust North Korea and reiterated that Washington would suspend
energy aid to Pyongyang until it agrees to a nuclear verification protocol, the
Voice of America reported Saturday.
Rice rejected criticism from U.S. conservatives that the Bush administration was
caving in to Pyongyang's demands in multilateral negotiations over the North's
nuclear weapons program.
"I mean, who trusts the North Koreans? You'd have to be an idiot to trust the
North Koreans," she was quoted as saying by the state-funded radio station. Rice
was speaking to experts at the Council of Foreign Relations, a U.S. private think
tank.
North Korea has been involved in negotiations with five other nations over its
denuclearization since 2003, but critics say Pyongyang is simply toying with the
talks as a way of keeping its arsenal intact as a deterrent against invasion.
The latest round of the six-party talks ended without an agreement last week as
Pyongyang refused to sign on to a verification protocol for its nuclear list,
presented in June under a multilateral aid-for-denuclearization deal. The talks
involve South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
Rice said the U.S. and North Korea have a verification protocol, though some
parts of it are still vague. North Korea is not entirely against the protocol,
she was quoted as saying, but takes issue with those parts that are vaguely
worded.
Rice reiterated Washington's position that it will suspend energy aid to North
Korea until Pyongyang signs a complete verification protocol. Pyongyang was
promised 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil from the other five nations in return
for disabling its nuclear facilities under a deal signed in October last year.
About half of the promised aid has so far been delivered.
Rice said there was still a chance that North Korea would implement the six-party
deal, saying, "This is a process that still has a lot of life in it," the report
said.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
"idiot" would trust North Korea and reiterated that Washington would suspend
energy aid to Pyongyang until it agrees to a nuclear verification protocol, the
Voice of America reported Saturday.
Rice rejected criticism from U.S. conservatives that the Bush administration was
caving in to Pyongyang's demands in multilateral negotiations over the North's
nuclear weapons program.
"I mean, who trusts the North Koreans? You'd have to be an idiot to trust the
North Koreans," she was quoted as saying by the state-funded radio station. Rice
was speaking to experts at the Council of Foreign Relations, a U.S. private think
tank.
North Korea has been involved in negotiations with five other nations over its
denuclearization since 2003, but critics say Pyongyang is simply toying with the
talks as a way of keeping its arsenal intact as a deterrent against invasion.
The latest round of the six-party talks ended without an agreement last week as
Pyongyang refused to sign on to a verification protocol for its nuclear list,
presented in June under a multilateral aid-for-denuclearization deal. The talks
involve South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
Rice said the U.S. and North Korea have a verification protocol, though some
parts of it are still vague. North Korea is not entirely against the protocol,
she was quoted as saying, but takes issue with those parts that are vaguely
worded.
Rice reiterated Washington's position that it will suspend energy aid to North
Korea until Pyongyang signs a complete verification protocol. Pyongyang was
promised 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil from the other five nations in return
for disabling its nuclear facilities under a deal signed in October last year.
About half of the promised aid has so far been delivered.
Rice said there was still a chance that North Korea would implement the six-party
deal, saying, "This is a process that still has a lot of life in it," the report
said.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
