North Korea demands nuke reactor from US
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-09-20 09:40

NORTH SEES DIFFERENT TIMING

Washington and Tokyo agreed to normalize ties with North Korea, which pledged to rejoin the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Again, Tuesday's statement said that would happen only after it got the reactors.

Official reaction before the North's statement was cautiously upbeat, though analysts were skeptical and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice predicted difficulties.

Washington has been skeptical of any accord with Pyongyang since accusing the country of cheating on a deal to freeze its nuclear programs in the 1990s.

"The joint statement is the most important achievement in the two years since the start of six-party talks," said Chinese chief negotiator Wu Dawei. The seven-day session in Beijing ended with a standing ovation by all delegates.

At the talks, Washington had eased its staunch opposition to any nuclear reactor for North Korea, and indicated it was willing to consider a light-water reactor to produce electricity under certain stringent circumstances.

The U.S. State Department said the offer of nuclear energy hinged on Pyongyang dismantling all its nuclear activities.

"It's a theoretical proposition in the future, contingent on dismantlement having taken place, (North Korea) re-signing up to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and having IAEA safeguards in place," deputy spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Pyongyang's statement made clear the North sees the timing precisely the other way around.

The United States, backed by Japan, had argued North Korea could not be trusted with atomic energy, but China, South Korea and Russia said if Pyongyang scrapped its nuclear weapons and agreed to strict safeguards, it should have such an energy program in future.

Failure to reach a deal in Beijing could have prompted Washington to go to the U.N. Security Council and seek sanctions. North Korea had said sanctions would be tantamount to war.