U.S. taking steps to get North off its terror list

Washington has endorsed the agreement on denuclearization announced by Beijing on Wednesday, while saying that the Bush administration will begin discussions about getting North Korea off its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a first step toward normalization of relations.
Gordon Johndroe, the spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said on Wednesday that “President Bush welcomes today’s announcement” of a road map for declaring and disabling the core facilities of North Korea’s nuclear programs by the end of the year.
In a conference call with reporters the same day, Christopher Hill, Washington’s chief representative to the six-party talks, said that he hoped that a team of U.S. inspectors would be in North Korea next week to begin the disabling process.
A government official in Seoul said yesterday that inspectors from other nations would form part of the expert delegation heading to the North but U.S. inspectors would take the lead. Hill stressed that the issue of uranium enrichment would also be scrutinized to Washington’s satisfaction, although the joint agreement does not specifically refer to the issue. There are “a series of side understandings,” between Pyongyang and Washington on several issues, Hill noted.
He also said Washington would now consult with the U.S. Congress on getting Pyongyang off the terror list. Asked whether Tokyo was in sync with Washington on the issue, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack hinted that Washington would chart its own course. “It’s a matter of some sensitivity in Japan, obviously. And we are going to be in close contact with the Japanese. Ultimately, this is a decision that resides with the United States. It’s U.S. law, the application of United States law.”

By Brian Lee Staff Writer/ Lee Sang-il JoongAng Ilbo