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The U.S. ambassador to Korea has reiterated a demand for North Korea to provide ¡°physical evidence¡± showing that it has dismantled facilities where the U.S. believes it produced counterfeit dollars. Alexander Vershbow on Wednesday demanded proof that North Korea has destroyed printing plates and other equipment before Washington considers lifting financial sanctions against the Stalinist country.
Speaking to the online newspaper OhmyNews, the envoy also confirmed that the U.S. will not sweep the matter under the carpet by blaming individual North Korean firms. ¡°We are convinced that the counterfeiting and other activities are being organized by official companies and other official entities in North Korea, and indeed there is not much of a private sector in North Korea,¡± he said.
Vershbow said Americans across the political spectrum as well as the government ¡°are very skeptical about the potential for arriving at a negotiated solution with North Korea because of our very bitter experience over many years.¡± But he is nonetheless ready for dialogue, he added.
He declared himself unconvinced that the North Korean regime can be persuaded to institute political and economic reforms, but added there were ¡°interesting¡± signs that the North has started to become more serious about the necessity to stop its illegal activities.
Asked about the U.S.¡¯ failure to grant asylum to any North Korean refugees, the envoy said, ¡°If there are individual cases where a North Korean citizen wants to come to the United States, then we will work with any other concerned government to facilitate the process.¡±
Meanwhile, Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Lee Tae-shik on Wednesday said there are indications that Pyongyang is relenting over its boycott of six-party talks on its nuclear program. ¡°Recent signs from the North indicate that there are changes in the North¡¯s position that it will not return to the six-party talks unless the U.S. lifts its financial sanctions,¡± Lee said.
Lee, back in Korea for a meeting of diplomats, said it was known that so-called supernotes produced by the North are still in circulation ¡°and the U.S. has acquired evidence which clearly shows that North Korea has produced these supernotes¡± -- a position Seoul was reluctant to take until very recently. ¡°As far as I know, the U.S. government does not have any intention to impose additional financial sanctions against the North,¡± he added.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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