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This satellite image provided by Space Imaging Asia shows the Yongbyon Nuclear Center, located north of Pyongyang, North Korea, in this Aug. 13, 2002 file photo./AP
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North Korea claims that nuclear fuel and a cooling tower are not subject to disablement of nuclear facilities under a six-nation agreement signed in February, it emerged Saturday. According to diplomatic sources in Washington, a U.S. delegation of nuclear experts has visited North Korea several times, demanding the North dispose of unused nuclear fuel and destroy the nuclear cooling tower during the disablement stage.
But the North is refusing to comply on grounds that these two facilities should be disposed of in return for benefits during the dismantlement stage, after the disablement is completed. In bilateral talks with the U.S., North Korea reportedly demanded South Korea and the other participating countries in the six-nation nuclear talks buy fresh nuclear fuel reserved for the 5-MW atomic reactor at Yongbyon during the dismantlement process.
A source in Washington said, "The U.S. is demanding that the nuclear fuel and cooling tower are subject to the disablement process, believing that it would take only three months for the North to resume operation of its nuclear facilities unless these facilities are completely disposed of." The U.S. understands by disablement that it would take at least more than a year to resume the operation of the facilities.
Washington is refusing to strike the North from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and lifting sanctions imposed on it under the Trading with the Enemy Act unless the North declares all nuclear programs at this stage. The stalemate over the issue could be prolonged. The Bush administration and hardliners in Congress want more pressure on the North, including re-implementing UN Resolution No. 1718, adopted in the wake its nuclear test last year, unless it properly disables all nuclear facilities and declares its nuclear programs.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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