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WASHINGTON-North Korea has resumed disabling its nuclear reactor as promised after the United States crossed Pyongyang off its list of terror-sponsoring nations last Saturday, top U.S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill said Tuesday. Speaking to a small group of reporters, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs also said Washington has no plans to put North Korea back on the blacklist even if it fails to fulfill its obligations to verify its nuclear activities.Hill said he has heard from U.S. personnel stationed in the Yongbyon nuclear complex, north of Pyongyang, that "There has been a resumption of the disabling activity."Due to North Korea's suspension of the work, it is believed to be difficult to get the disablement phase done by the original target of the end of this month.But Hill expressed hope for Pyongyang's further cooperation on this front, saying, "I think they can pick up the pace on getting the fuel rods out of the reactor."While noting the United States is willing to introduce tighter sanctions on North Korea if Pyongyang fails to comply with the verification, he dismissed a view that the reclusive state's disobedience would put it back on the terrorism list."If we do not get cooperation, which they've said they will give us, but if they don't, then we have additional measures we would impose," Hill said."With respect to the terrorism list...it's a statutory issue," he said. "So to reimpose them on the terrorism list...would depend on whether they are doing things that are according to the terrorism law."The United States on Saturday removed North Korea from the list in an effort to move forward the stalled six-party talks aimed at disbanding the reclusive state's nuclear arsenal, after Pyongyang agreed to a series of measures to verify its nuclear activities.The six-way denuclearization talks have stalled due to differences between Washington and Pyongyang over the verification of information North Korea in June provided about its nuclear programs.The dispute held up the removal of North Korea from the blacklist. Angered by the postponement, Pyongyang began work to restore the Yongbyon nuclear complex that can make weapons-grade plutonium.The current second phase of denuclearization, which obliges Pyongyang to disable its nuclear facilities and declare all its nuclear programs, is to be followed by the third phase in which Pyongyang must give up all its fissile material.http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D93QDJRO1&show_article=1&catnum=0
As in the days of Noah....
