Stalled N. Korea Talks Annoying Envoys

Pyongyang Insistent At Not Rejoining Meetings Until Un-Frozen Funds Are Returned

(CBS/AP)  North Korea boycotted the six-nation talks for more than a year after Washington blacklisted the tiny, privately run Banco Delta Asia on suspicion the funds were connected to money-laundering or counterfeiting.

But U.S. officials announced Monday that the money would be transferred to a North Korean account in Beijing, saying it was up to the Monetary Authority of Macau, a Chinese territory, to release the funds.

Chun said the transfer has run into "minor technical problems," but he did not give any details.

Macau Monetary Authority spokeswoman Wendy Au declined to comment on what was causing the delay.

"It's got to get solved, I am sure it will be solved," Hill said. "But it is not my issue. It is not a U.S. issue at this point... the problem is, you can't expect all these large delegations to sit around while it is being sorted out."

The Monetary Authority has also declined to say if it will announce when the funds have been released. "I have no instructions from my superiors regarding when the money will be transferred," Wendy Au, a spokeswoman for the authority, said Wednesday.

Bank spokesman Joe Wong said the money remains frozen and that the bank hasn't been ordered by the authority to release the funds.

Despite the growing tensions, Japan's chief delegate, Kenichiro Sasae, said he was still optimistic of progress once the transfer dispute was resolved.

"As soon as the current problem, which is merely a technical issue, is resolved, I believe things will start moving forward," Sasae told reporters.

The setback comes as the delegates are trying to fine-tune a timetable for North Korea's disarmament under the February agreement.

Under the deal, North Korea is to receive energy and economic assistance and a start toward normalizing relations with the U.S. and Japan, in return for beginning the disarmament process.

North Korea would ultimately receive assistance equivalent to 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil if it fully discloses and dismantles all its nuclear programs.

South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon told an alumni meeting of Seoul National University that "North Korea is a difficult counterpart to understand," according to his office.

"Diplomacy is choosing between a debacle and an unsatisfactory outcome. We cannot have something completely satisfactory," Song said.

Meanwhile, a South Korean aid group says seven out of ten North Koreans probably don't have enough food to eat.

North Korea has relied on foreign food aid since the mid-1990s, when natural disasters and mismanagement devastated its economy. A famine is estimated to have killed some two million people.

The Seoul-based Good Friends aid agency said there are concerns that residents of cities who do not receive regular wages or rations and have no farmable land could begin to starve. The agency got its information from the communist nation's distribution offices.

While there have not been many deaths, malnutrition is worsening.

[agnim]

"the north koreans are probably still laughing at us for being so stupid.
Posted by figuy30 at 12:08 PM : Mar 21, 2007"

But they are not laughing all the way to the bank s yet. LOL

Are we stupid or crooked for grabbing onto people's monies, without due process of INTERNATIONAL LAW, like we are the world bully?

If there are no international laws or states seek to ignore laws, then ANYTHING GOES as is the case among beasts in the wild. LOL

[figuy30]

when the north koreans say they won't do something again, they forget to add "until the next time". the north koreans are probably still laughing at us for being so stupid.

[figuy30]

what did anyone expect? the north koreans have always been liars. you don't make "deals" with liars. the north koreans have a pattern of dealing with anyone who will talk to them to get what they want, then later try to "deal" with them again on the same thing just to extort more money or whatever they want. the north koreans don't have any real power or the ability to sustain any power, but they lie and say they do. the north koreans are not to be trusted in any circumstance, unless, of course, you are gullible enough to believe them when they say "trust me".

[djermano1]

Do we really think they are going to give them the money? I wonder. That is alot of cash to get, then back out of the talks, to use it to keep the weapons program going.

Or another real scenario exists and that is our beloved President is actually funding N. Korea to get Nukes. Think about it..Where else can Bush test his new bunker mini nukes? Perfect place right? N. Korea. And N. Korea detonated a mini nuke. He keeps things on edge feeding this line of *** to the American public and Congress. This money thing is being manipulated to keep the mini nuke program going. Oh we will accuse them of reniging on the talks, but hey who can stop that?

And why the big ta do about N. Korea in the first place. Heck China already has nukes and N. Korea is very much supported by China.

Pyongyang is just going along with this because they have everything to gain.

[radiob-2009]

With the technology N.Korea has aquired to build the nuclear weapons and conventional weapons why are they not transfering that technology to conventional industrial production and building a economy based on consumer goods instead? Larger profits????? and they can continue to blackmail the world into agreements that favor them.This will come around again, just wait.

[krotec54]

They are a nation of liars.
they have said before they will disarm and have not.
Bush wants to make sure they really did it this time. Duh!!!
Posted by kaili3 at 07:54 AM : Mar 21, 2007

We should take our time before funds will be released to this nation. Let them run out of money and let the country collapse. China may take N. Korea, but it will cost them time and money in occupation, it will look bad for them.

[bluestardad]

Hey lets insult North Korea and send them that bastion of credibility Miss No Actionable Intelligence Condi Rice!

[karlimhof]

these *** have nuclear weapons,
Posted by kaili3


I'm more worried about israel's nukes than those n.korean firecrackers.

[kaili3]

that's it good way to stand up for your country.
what is wrong with you peope?
these *** have nuclear weapons, i dont care how much you hate bush, you better pray to God he gets this resolved before we are all dead.
and the reason why he has not transferred funds yet, is probably because they are a nation of liars.
they have said before they will disarm and have not.
bush wants to make sure they really di it this time. Duh!!!

[karlimhof]

The N. Koreans probably heard about all the money Bush promised to New Orleans - but didn't send.

They aren't taking any chances, would trust Bush when he says the check is in the mail?