core sector communique

Korean Nuclear Deal Offers "Modest First Step," Clinton Says

Washington - North Korea's agreement to implement a moratorium on its uranium enrichment and nuclear activities and allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to verify the suspension is "a modest first step in the right direction," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told U.S. lawmakers.

The secretary was speaking February 29 before a hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs.

Clinton reported that North Korea had agreed to implement a moratorium on its long-range missile launches, nuclear tests and nuclear activities at the Yongbyon nuclear facility, including its uranium enrichment activities. In addition, she said it had agreed to allow IAEA inspectors to verify and monitor the moratorium on its Yongbyon uranium enrichment activities and confirm the disablement of its five-megawatt nuclear reactor and associated facilities.

Separately, U.S. and North Korean negotiators also agreed to resolve a long impasse on U.S. food assistance to North Korea by implementing strict verification measures to ensure that the U.S. assistance will reach those most in need of it.

"We ... have agreed to meet with the North to finalize administrative details necessary to move forward with a proposed package of 240,000 metric tons of nutritional assistance, along with the intensive monitoring required for the delivery of such assistance," Clinton said.

In a February 29 statement, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said delegations from North Korea and the United States had met in Beijing February 23-24 and that a number of points had resulted from their discussions.

During the talks, the United States reaffirmed that it "does not have hostile intent" toward North Korea and that it is prepared to take steps to improve relations "in the spirit of mutual respect for sovereignty and equality."

The Obama administration is also prepared to take steps to increase people-to-people exchanges with Pyongyang in areas such as culture, education and sports, Nuland said.

The United States also reaffirmed that it is committed to the September 19, 2005, joint statement and its core goal: the verifiable elimination of nuclear programs from the Korean Peninsula.

A senior State Department official who asked not to be identified told reporters in a February 29 conference call that North Korea had agreed to "reversible" steps concerning its nuclear activities, but expressed hope that the deal would begin the process of "walking back" a number of provocative actions it has taken in recent years, including nuclear and ballistic missile tests and attacks on neighboring South Korea.

"This agreement opens the door to serious negotiations to achieve irreversible steps by North Korea toward denuclearization and to meeting their other commitments and international obligations," the official said.

Talks between North Korea and its partners in the Six-Party Talks - South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States - have been on hold since 2009, and the senior official said the United States has repeatedly stated that it is "not interested in talks just for the sake and form of talks."

President Obama has consistently signaled to North Korea that "we will respond positively if North Korea chooses the path of negotiation, cooperation and denuclearization," the official said.

"We've made it clear to them if they go down the path of peace, engagement and meeting the concerns of the international community, they can have a very different future. They can be lashed up with the international community in a positive way that can be of benefit to them," the official said.

The official said the Obama administration plans to work with the other members in an effort to "set the stage for real and lasting progress" and determine in advance what will be up for negotiation.

"We need to make sure that we have a winning strategy for not simply sitting down at the table at the Diaoyutai Guesthouse in Beijing, but being able to stand up from the table with something meaningful and something lasting, a process that can deal with the concerns that all of us have with regard to North Korea," the official said.

VERIFICATIONS TO ENSURE U.S. FOOD AID REACHES THE NEEDIEST

The United States and North Korea have also been discussing the terms under which Washington would provide nutritional assistance to help North Koreans who continue to face chronic food shortages.

The decision to provide humanitarian assistance anywhere in the world is based on three factors: the level of need in a given country, competing needs in other countries and the ability to ensure that aid reliably is reaching people in need. Multiple needs assessments by the U.S. government, the World Food Programme and nongovernmental organizations determined that a targeted nutritional aid program is warranted in North Korea.

A second senior State Department/USAID official said details on the provision of the 240,000 metric tons of aid need to be finalized, but when in place it will be the "most comprehensively monitored and managed program" since U.S. food aid to North Korea began in the mid 1990s.

The official said there would be a regular delivery of about 20,000 tons per month over the period of 12 months of food aid considered appropriate for young children, pregnant women, the elderly and others facing acute malnutrition. The assistance will include a corn-soy blend, vegetable oil, pulses and ready-to-use therapeutic foods designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of these groups.

The official said the United States and North Korean representatives have agreed to meet to finalize the details of the nutritional assistance program.

"There are no plans to delay. We're ready to go," the official said.

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.)