*EPF503 11/01/2002
Excerpt: U.S. Welcomes Russian Comments on North Korea
(U.S. pleased international community united on this issue) (830)

Responding to journalists' questions October 31 concerning official Russian statements about North Korea's nuclear program, State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher commented:

"We're obviously pleased to see that the international community is so together on this issue, but not quite surprised, since ... Secretary [of State Colin Powell] said that he had found in his discussions with [Russian] Foreign Minister [Igor] Ivanov the same kind of sentiment as expressed by the Japanese and South Koreans on the need to resolve this issue before North Korea could expect anything from the international community, and indeed, the Russians were part of the APEC declaration, which was quite clear on these matters."

Asked whether the Russian stance increased pressure on North Korea, Boucher responded: "I think our goal all along is to make sure that the whole international community was making clear to North Korea that its aspirations for assistance, for opportunities, for relationships, would not be realized if they wanted -- if they were going to continue to develop these weapons.

"So it's important that Russia is part of that," he said.

(begin excerpt)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Thursday, October 31, 2002
BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA
-- Russian Reaction to North Korean Nuclear Program
RUSSIA
-- Arrest of Zakayev in Copenhagen, Chechen-Russian Peace Process
-- Designation of Chechen Group as Foreign Terrorist Organization

(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

[...]

QUESTION: The North Koreans have also been meeting with the Russians in the past couple of days. The Russians said today that they have received insufficient explanation by North Korea about this nuclear program. And also, the North Korean Ambassador to Moscow was quoted as saying that North Korea has a full right to actually have this nuclear program.

I wondered whether you have any comments on these two items.

MR. BOUCHER: As far as what the Russians heard from the North Koreans, I'll leave that to them to talk about. We certainly knew that our information on this uranium enrichment program was solid, and I guess the North Koreans did, too, since they came and admitted it when they talked to us.

The point, I think, is that this program violates not only the Agreed Framework but also their obligations under the Nonproliferation Treaty, their agreements with South Korea on the de-nuclearization of the Peninsula, and even the statements that they just signed a few weeks ago with Prime Minister Koizumi.

So I think there's no question that they're violating commitments that they've made, as well as international standards on these matters.

QUESTION: Can I quickly follow up? The next shipment of fuel oil is due in a couple of weeks, I think. Any decision whether to go ahead with it or to delay it?

MR. BOUCHER: Nothing. No, nothing at this point. No new decisions on particulars.

QUESTION: And if there isn't any, it'll just go as it's being planned by KEDO?

MR. BOUCHER: Right. No decisions on particulars at this point.

Okay. Same subject?

QUESTION: Middle East?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, let's finish up with Korea. We have another one here.

Sir.

QUESTION: Does the U.S. wants Mr. Jenkins to go to Japan, eventually return to the U.S.?

MR. BOUCHER: Same question, related, as before. And the status of people who left the U.S. military, really you've got to ask over at the Pentagon. They worry about those people directly.

Matt, you had one on Korea?

QUESTION: Yeah, right. It's kind of related to what Nicholas was asking. I'm just wondering, you don't have any reaction to the Russians' change of heart? I mean, they had not really joined on with the rest of the group except in the APEC declaration, but they hadn't, you know, themselves come out and really hit the North Koreans as hard as they've done until today.

You're not pleased to see that the Russians have, you know, hitched themselves to the bandwagon?

MR. BOUCHER: We're obviously pleased to see that the international community is so together on this issue, but not quite surprised, since I think the Secretary, as he said to you in Mexico on Saturday, the Secretary said that he had found in his discussions with Foreign Minister Ivanov the same kind of sentiment as expressed by the Japanese and South Koreans on the need to resolve this issue before North Korea could expect anything from the international community, and indeed, the Russians were part of the APEC declaration, which was quite clear on these matters.

QUESTION: Well, exactly. But until now, they hadn't said anything themselves quite this was strong. So do you think now, that with them getting on board, that the pressure on the North Koreans has increased?

MR. BOUCHER: I think our goal all along is to make sure that the whole international community was making clear to North Korea that its aspirations for assistance, for opportunities, for relationships, would not be realized if they wanted -- if they were going to continue to develop these weapons.

So it's important that Russia is part of that, and that's -- that is true.

(end excerpt)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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