U.S. Delegation: N. Korea Waiting On Cash

Gov. Bill Richardson Told U.N. Inspectors Will Be Allowed In As Soon As Frozen Funds Released

(AP)  North Korea's top nuclear negotiator told a visiting American delegation Monday that his government would immediately invite U.N. inspectors into the country if $25 million in disputed North Korean funds are released to Pyongyang, U.S. officials said.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan met with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a Democratic presidential candidate, and Anthony Principi, President Bush's former veteran affairs secretary, in Pyongyang.

Kim "indicated that the North Korean government would invite the... inspectors back the moment the funds are released to the North Korean government," Principi told reporters after the meeting.

Kim also told the U.S. delegation of the difficulty of shutting down the regime's main nuclear reactor by a Saturday deadline called for in a February nuclear disarmament accord, he said.

"They can make a beginning, but whether they can completely shut down a nuclear reactor in such a short time would be very difficult," Principi said.

The delegation, which also includes Victor Cha, Bush's top adviser on North Korea, is on a four-day trip to Pyongyang to recover remains of American servicemen killed in the Korean War. Richardson, a former ambassador to the U.N., said Sunday he had no intention of negotiating nuclear matters.

There has been little progress in implementing the landmark Feb. 13 nuclear agreement in which North Korea promised to take initial steps toward dismantling its nuclear program, including closing its main nuclear reactor and providing a full list of its nuclear facilities.

The impoverished North has refused to move forward due to the delayed transfer of $25 million in the regime's money frozen by Macau authorities after the U.S. blacklisted a bank in that Chinese administrative region in 2005 for allegedly helping Pyongyang launder money.

Last week, the State Department said that a hitch stalling the release of the funds had been resolved, potentially clearing the way for the disbursement of the money. No details were released on when or how the money would be transferred.

Richardson said his delegation pushed Kim for a show of good faith that North Korea was ready to move forward in it obligations under the Feb. 13 deal. He said the U.S. side asked for a meeting of the six nations involved in nuclear disarmament talks before Saturday, when Pyongyang is supposed to shut down its nuclear reactor and let in U.N. nuclear inspectors.

"Our negotiators are ready to meet with the North Koreans immediately so that this effort to dismantle their nuclear weapons is concluded," Richardson said.

Reporters were allowed to view the first minutes of the meeting. Kim said that the visit was the first one that included both Democratic and Republican American officials since Bush took office.

"In light of current international relations and DPRK-US relations, your current visit to our country is of very great significance," Kim said through an interpreter.

Richardson has regularly made diplomatic trips, often on his own initiative, to a number of global hot spots. Though visits to North Korea by senior U.S. officials are rare, this was Richardson's sixth.

[agnim]

US VIOLATING ITS OWN SANCTION AGAINST KOREA! LOL

U.S. Allowed Secret Ethiopia-N.Korea Arms Deal

The New York Times is reporting the Bush administration recently allowed Ethiopia to complete a secret arms purchase from North Korea IN VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS. LOL

The United States allowed the arms delivery to go through in January shortly after Ethiopia invaded Somalia.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/09/144242

[realpatriot1]

figuy,

I hate to dispel your fantasy but we fought their army to a draw 50 years ago and it took more than an afternoon. Is this like Mission Accomplished in Iraq?

I think we might need permission from the South Koreans whose capital is approximately 80 miles from the DMZ. Also, they have a million man army.We don't.

[figuy30]

we already know the n. koreans are liars, blackmailers, & extortionists. we could wipe them out in an afternoon if we did'nt have to ask the u.n. for permission first. they don't have any intention of keeping their word, and they believe we're stupid enough to keep negotiating with them for eternity. even china does'nt want anything to do with them. look at chinas illegal immigration policy. undermining our currency & money laundering is a criminal offense authorized by the very head of their government. n. korea does'nt contribute one thing to the world community except trouble. it's time to tell n. korea we're through talking.

[randalds]

Oh come on! Besides the fact that it's their money in the first place $25 million is pocket change! We waste that every few hours on our war in Iraq. Give them their money back. If they don't comply then we've lost nothing!

As for Richardson being the one to negotiate it should be obvious, he's a great negotiator! Certainly infinitely better then any "diplomat" that's in Bush circus of clowns. Who else is he going to send? Condi! I doubt if the same methods she uses to make Bush happy will work on Kim Jong-il.

[starleo146]

Fridak---He is using Bill Richardson because ALL HIS people are being investigated or resigning or taken the 5th no one in his administration has the gift of negotiation that Bill Richardson has now or never will. They only know how to BULLY FOLKS AROUND.

[starleo146]

It's there money so is our social security money sorry Haliburton got it all too late.

[realpatriot1]

tbweb,

Excellent point! Why are we giving them the money BEFORE they put the cameras back into the reactors?

Yes, it's there money. They also agreed to abide by International law.

The money was frozen for a reason and needs to be unfrozen for a reason.

[kaili3]

it is there money because WE give money to them.
oil for food program , already established a couple months ago money we gave them was for food,they used it for NUCLEAR reasons!!!
we give enough,they have already destryed their own credibility,deal with it.

[fridak-2009]

Some of you are starting to sound a bit ignorant.

It's their money already! It never was our money.

Learn to read!

[kaili3]

This is pathetic.
we need to pay them in order for them to shut down nuclear reactors.
we already know they are using money we have sent them before for nuclear reasons instead of food
that was established months ago.
ridiculous, give me a break.