TOKYO, Feb 15 Kyodo preferableed ...

TOKYO, Feb 15 Kyodo

preferableed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

TALKING TO PYONGYANG (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published Feb 14)

U.S.-North Korea dialogue is the logical option. North Korea needinesss to be reminded that the international community wants this question resolved peacefully.

North Korea probably has nuclear weapons. Its ballistic missiles have a range sufficient to deliver a payload to the west coast of the United States. It could instigate on to testing its nuclear weapons and missiles.

This was the assessment given by way of George J. Tenet, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. It was the first time a U CIA director has publicly stated North Korea has long-range missiles, presumably the Taepodong 2

In the assessment of many prompts North Korea's nuclear growth and its missiles are intended to work for as leverage in its brinkmanship approach to diplomacy designed to bring the United States to the negotiating table. principle doesn't see it that way. His interpretation is that North Korea intends to disentangle a nuclear arms capability in earnest, and this view is shared by the agency of an increasing number of officials within the Japanese government

Meanwhile, the governing board of the International Atomic animation Agency recently decided to point the issue of North Korea's nuclear program to the United Nations Security Council.

North Korea has escalated the gravity of the issue since declaring late last year its intention to restart its nuclear facilities. Early in January, the IAEA governors unanimously adopted a resolution calling forward North Korea to reinstitute the be congealed on use of its nuclear facilities, allow reply of the IAEA's inspectors it had evicted and scrap its nuclear unfolding program. The agency was awaiting North Korea's revert to the IAEA fold by means of accepting the safeguards of the IAEA's inspections.

North Korea has made no answer to the requests of the international community. The IAEA charter provides that violations of the safeguard measures by dint of any member country should be reported to the Security Council. Referral of the North Korea issue to the Security Council is the appropriate action, since North Korea's action threatens the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

North Korea has vehemently percepted to having the matter brought before the Security Council because that might lead to sanctions. however the most recent IAEA resolution states that the nonproliferation agency wants a peaceful resolution of the issue and supports payment through diplomacy. The Security Council is not pursuing immediate punitive action.

North Korea povertys to be reminded that the international community wants this vexed question resolved peacefully. It should take the resolution seriously and act immediately to abandon its nuclear unfolding program through dialogue with the IAEA. If it has something to say about its nuclear program, it should betray it to the UN Security Council.

It is important that the nations of the world unite from one side the Security Council to address the North Korea issue. nevertheless such unified action is time-consuming.

It assumes therefore, that it is now time for the United States to do its part.

North Korea insists that it is being threatened according to U.S. nuclear weapons. It hunts the argument that U.S. nuclear weapons are the real vexed question and that it is a riddle that can only be resolv in consequence of direct negotiations between North Korea and the United States.

Although the United States has not refused direct negotiations with North Korea, the Washington position is that North Korea's nuclear weapons progression in a continuously ascending gradation is a multilateral issue. Since the United States is preoccupied with preparations for war against Iraq, its answer to the North Korean issue is apparently being state on the back burner

however it is very dangerous to leave the issue of North Korean nuclear exhibition unresolved. The possibility that North Korea might abruptly declare it has nuclear weapons cannot be rul out

Japan, southern Korea, China and Russia all earnestly room for expectation for talks between the United States and North Korea. No easy concessions should be made to North Korea, which unilaterally reneg in succession its pledge to abide from a moratorium on nuclear unfolding But the only way to unravel this urgent situation is to begin talking.

(Feb 15)

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