The upcoming Six-Party Talks might face a deadlock as the North’s declaration of its nuclear programs is being delayed. The Six-Party Talks are scheduled to be held early next month to discuss the country’s nuclear disablement and declaration.
The North was expected to have finished reporting its nuclear programs including the UEP (Uranium Enrichment Program) by last week. However, the North has not yet submitted its declaration of nuclear materials as of November 25th.
The North might submit the declaration at the upcoming Six-Party Talks scheduled for around the 6th of December since the October 3rd Agreement has set a year-end deadline for the declaration. However, that is merely a speculation at this point.
As the North’s declaration is further delayed, some have begun to argue whether there still remain a huge difference in opinion between the North and the U.S. regarding the declaration. Experts estimate that the North has a stockpile of 40~45 kilograms of plutonium.
There is a possibility that the North will neither faithfully report all of its nuclear programs nor include the UEP on the declaration list.
If the North’s declaration falls far short of the US’s expectations, the current efforts of settling the country’s nuclear problems which have been working out so far might come to a deadend. Moreover, many question whether the North really intends to come clean on its nuclear programs.
The Bush administration has been trying to increase the negotiating leverage of Christopher Hill, US Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and push for prompt implementation to achieve the complete denuclearization of North Korea. Nevertheless, if the North’s declaration of nuclear materials turns out unreliable, the U.S. for its part has to reconsider its current hasty efforts to settle the country’s nuclear problems.
In the U.S., many remain unconvinced of the level of nuclear disablement, and are keeping a close watch on whether the North will really declare the existence of a UEP.
The U.S. Congress has been reiterating that it will not remove North Korea from its list of terrorism-sponsoring countries unless the North makes a full declaration of its nuclear programs and clear explanations regarding them.
Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill will come into the spotlight again as he starts his trip to Northeast Asia sometime this week just ahead of the Six-Party Talks.
During the upcoming trip, the Assistant Secretary is expected to discuss the declaration and methods of disablement of North Korea’s nuclear programs as well as the State’s suspected nuclear ties with Syria.
However, no other details have been reported as to his trip. Some anticipate that the Assistant Secretary may seek consultation with concerned countries to find a diplomatic approach to the current situation.
