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Quotation
"We promised to build North Korea two, more safe, water-moderated reactors to develop their electric power. Our governments did. The United States and Japan and South Korea, primarily. We have not done that."
Former US President Jimmy Carter
CNN Larry King Live, Nov. 15, 2002.
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"DPRK Seriously Affected by Heavy Rains"
KCNA, Pyongyang, July 21, 2006
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Agreed Framework between the United States of America and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Geneva, October 21, 1994
www.kedo.org/pdfs/AgreedFramework.pdf
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| Hard Rain No 21 November 20, 2006 |
| North Korea is a sovereign nation |
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Energy is the key issue in North Korea. It is time to revive the 1994 Agreed Framework between the U.S.and North Korea and give substantial help to a country devastated from natural disasters for more than a decade. |
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In the middle of July torrential rain hit North Korea again, causing heavy human and material losses in many parts of the country. A lot of people died, dwelling houses and public buildings were destroyed, thousands of hectares of arable land were inundated, washed away and buried. Motor roads, bridges and railway trunk lines were seriously damaged. Electricity and communication networks cut off.
We still have to learn more about the effects of this disaster, but the World Food Programme (WFP) immediately said it would initially help people in the worst-hit region of South Pyongan, providing 74 tonnes of food. In contrast, food aid from neighbouring South Korea was suspended after talks between the two sides had collapsed, in the wake of Pyongyang's 5 July missile tests.
It´s a shame! Now is the time to give substantial help to a country devastated from natural disasters for more than a decade. Energy is the key issue! It is time to revive the 1994 Agreed Framework between the U.S.and North Korea.
The heart of the agreement was a U.S. commitment to provide North Korea with a package of nuclear, energy, economic, and diplomatic benefits; in return North Korea would halt the operations and infrastructure development of its nuclear program.
North Korea was to receive two light water reactors (LWRs) with a generating capacity of approximately 2,000 megawatts. The U.S. was committed to provide 500,000 metric tons of heavy oil to North Korea annually until the first of the two light water reactors became operational.
The United States and North Korea also announced an intention to open liaison offices in each other’s capitals and establish full diplomatic relations if the two governments make progress “on issues of concern to each side.”
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The Bush administration wasted no time to change the U.S. policy for Korea. Pyongyang was accused of breaking the agreement. In November 2002 the U.S. stopped oil deliveries. An overall hostile policy and economic sanctions were part pf the scene.
North Korea on its part had frozen its nuclear installations and the country is suffering from a difficult and lasting shortage of electric power. The country has tried to tell the surrounding world that it has the right to defend its sovereignty and that it cannot accept the U.S. threat of using weapons of mass destruction in Korea.
The responsibility lies heavy on the U.S. for breaking the 1994 accord, at the same time blocking the possibilities of making the Korean peninsula a nuclear free zone.
After half a century of recurring nuclear threats against North Korea president Bush has ”come to roads end”. It is time for the United States to ”take a bite of the sour apple” and acknowledge North Korea as a sovereign country. This is for World Peace!
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