Progress on Freezing North Korea's Nuclear Program is Promising First Step
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 19, 2007
CONTACT:
Travis Sharp, Communications Director, (202) 546-0795 ext.123
tsharp AT armscontrolcenter DOT org
Leonor Tomero, Director for Nuclear Non-Proliferation, (202) 546-0795 ext. 119
ltomero AT armscontrolcenter DOT org
Washington, D.C. - As the Six-Party Talks continued today in China, the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation commended the progress made in the past week on North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
Since last Saturday, North Korea has shut down its reactor at Yongbyon, halted construction of two new reactors, and shut down its plutonium-producing facility.
Lt. General Robert Gard (USA, ret.), Senior Military Fellow at the Center, stated: "This is a promising first step, a prerequisite to further progress towards our goal of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. It has stopped North Korea from producing additional plutonium for its nuclear weapons program."
It is estimated that prior to the shut-down, North Korea was producing enough material for between one and two nuclear weapons per year. If it were to be constructed, it is believed that North Korea's planned 50MW reactor would produce enough material for ten nuclear weapons per year.
Leonor Tomero, Director for Nuclear Non-Proliferation at the Center, added: "This successful first step is significant and vindicates the Administration's new approach. For the past four years, North Korea has been producing nuclear weapons-usable material and constructed at least one nuclear weapon that it tested. Now, no new material is being produced and international inspections have resumed."
The next steps in implementing the February 13, 2007 agreement include the permanent disabling of the now deactivated Yongbyon reactor and North Korea providing a list of its entire nuclear program. There is broad agreement that the most difficult negotiations lie ahead, including sequencing for the permanent dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear weapons program, North Korea surrendering any nuclear weapons and material it has produced, and implementing verification measures to ensure North Korea does not cheat on its commitments.
Gard continued: "While there are difficulties in communicating with North Korea, it is essential to pursue negotiations to reach lasting agreement on freezing and then dismantling its nuclear weapons program and ensuring arrangements for verifying future compliance."
Tomero concluded: "Critics within the Administration and in Congress are waiting for the first sign of trouble to pull out of the deal. Tough negotiations lie ahead and we can expect inevitable bumps in the road. It will prove essential to remain committed to a successful outcome, keeping in mind the costs to U.S. national security when we refused to talk to North Korea in 2002, which allowed North Korea to pursue its nuclear weapons program unchecked."
In return for rolling back its nuclear weapons program, the February agreement provides that North Korea will receive economic and energy aid - including 950,000 tons of heavy fuel oil - and that negotiations will address the normalization of U.S.-North Korean and Japanese-North Korean relations with the possibility of removing North Korea from the state sponsors of terrorism list.
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