|
North Korea is apparently willing to start implementing its part of a Feb. 13 six-nation agreement on its nuclear program on Friday, the day after concerned countries hope the issue of Pyongyang¡¯s frozen funds is finally resolved. Bill Richardson, the governor of the U.S. state of New Mexico, in a press conference at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul after returning from a four-day visit to North Korea, said, ¡°What the North Koreans have said was upon the resolution of the BDA issue -- which could be tomorrow morning -- that the next day they would invite (an) IAEA official...and hopefully that would happen¡± on Friday.
During the North Korea visit, U.S. delegates including Richardson and National Security Council director for Asia Victor Cha met with top North Korean officials including parliamentary chief Kim Yong-nam and North Korean chief nuclear negotiator Kim Kye-gwan. If the North either withdraws the assets, which had been frozen at the Banco Delta Asia, in cash or to leave them at the Macau bank, it is expected to take initial steps to shut down its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon in accordance with the accord reached in the six-party talks in Beijing. AP quoted the U.S. official as saying Pyongyang wants to delay a Saturday deadline for switching off the nuclear reactor by 30 days.
 |
|
Bill Richardson, the governor of the U.S. state of New Mexico, holds a press conference at the Information Resource Center of the U.S. Embassy in Namyoung-dong, Seoul, on Wednesday.
|
 |
|
Meanwhile, Pyongyang reportedly dispatched 20 officials who were staying in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, to Macau to withdraw the assets. A senior BDA executive said 52 North Korean accounts were recently integrated for easy withdrawal, and it will take one or two days for North Korea to have the funds back since the sum is big. North Korea will reportedly withdraw the assets by money order, a kind of check which can be used in any bank in the world.
But a South Korean government official said it was uncertain whether North Korea has fully accepted the U.S.¡¯ offer. In the worst case, the North could demand the opening of an account for foreign currency transaction, which could delay the six-party talks yet again, he said.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
