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US plays down missed North Korea deadline
Washington (AFP) Jan 3, 2008 The US State Department on Thursday played down a deadline North Korea missed on declaring its nuclear programs, saying a full and accurate declaration was more important than one delivered on time. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters that Washington sought a declaration from North Korea "as soon as possible but also they should not sacrifice completeness for speed, completeness and accuracy for speed." Pyongyang was supposed to have completed the disablement of its nuclear plants, and handed over a complete declaration of all its nuclear programs and material, by December 31. The United States has said neither deadline was met, but that North Korea has been cooperative on disabling its nuclear sites. North Korea agreed last February to give up its nuclear weapons programs in return for one million tons of fuel oil or equivalent energy aid, diplomatic benefits and security guarantees. McCormack also released the itinerary for US envoy Christopher Hill's visit to the key countries involved in North Korea's nuclear disablement and eventual disarmament. The diplomat will leave Washington Friday but would likely make a stop in Hawaii before flying to Tokyo on Monday, then on to Seoul, Beijing and Moscow, McCormack said. McCormack said there were no plans for Hill to travel to Pyongyang and there were "no meetings scheduled at this point with North Korean counterparts" before he returns to Washington from Moscow on January 12. Hill made a rare visit to North Korea last month as part of efforts to scrap the communist state's nuclear programs under a six-nation deal involving the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia. The tour is focused on "how to move the six-party process forward," McCormack said without elaborating. Hill stops in Tokyo on January 7-8, Seoul on January 8-10, Beijing on January 10-11, and Moscow on January 11-12. The White House said Wednesday that it was "skeptical" that North Korea would provide a full accounting of its nuclear programs after the Stalinist regime missed a December 31 deadline to do so. North Korea shocked the world with its first nuclear test in October 2006. Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
NKorean leader still undecided on giving up nukes: analyst
Seoul (AFP) Jan 2, 2008North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has still not decided whether to give up his nuclear weapons despite a disarmament pledge under an international deal, a senior analyst said Wednesday. |
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