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UPDATE: NORTH KOREA

In the last action report we commended President Bush and Kim Jong-Il on the success of the 6 party talks to dismantle the nuclear reactor at Pyongyang. All signs pointed to a successful diplomatic process: Bush had announced he was removing North Korea from the terrorist watch list; Jong-Il made a very public demolition of an aging water tower; and, dates were set to dismantle the whole complex.

Reactor Explosion

Unfortunately, the latest news is not as exciting. Wednesday, August 27th the U.S. accused North Korea of violating the six-nation nuclear accord and reasserted that North Korea would remain on the terrorist watch list. Why? Pyongyang refused to let inspectors verify the scope and depth of their nuclear program and its disassembly. The North Korean President has made very public statements declaring he would not only halt the disarmament process; but, he would also step up efforts to rebuild the states nuclear program until his country was off the terrorist watch list.

North Korean President Kim Jong Li

Where can we go from here? The U.S. will not back down until North Korea does, and visa versa.The key here is in the structure of the diplomacy – six-party talks. China, South Korea, Japan and Russia stand at a pivotal point to improve global security and promote nuclear abolition.

Our relationships with these countries have a profound impact on their ability to secure a legitimate and sustainable agreement with North Korea. For now South Korea and Japan, our two main allies, have expressed regret over North Korea’s actions. China has made a blanket statement asking both parties to honor their commitments. Russian support has yet to be determined. Our cooperation with China and Russia on a variety of geopolitical issues will play a significant role in garnering their support against North Korea.