U.S. to seek cut in North Korean army

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, MARCH 9. The Bush administration is maintaining its rhetoric against North Korea with the Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, informing a Senate committee that Washington is seeking cuts in Pyongyang's million-person army and sending the message that the Republican administration is renegotiating the 1994 nuclear deal, known as the Framework Agreement, involving the U.S., South Korea and Japan.

On Wednesday, the President, Mr. George W. Bush, had some tough words against the North Korean regime and on Thursday it was the turn of Gen. Powell who went before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The observations of the President and his Secretary of State over the last two days have left enough doubt as to whether the Bush administration will be taking off from where the Clinton administration left off vis-a-vis dealing with Pyongyang as has been the refrain every now and then.

``We're going to take our time; we're going to put together a comprehensive policy; and in due course, at a time and at a pace of our choosing, we will decide and determine how best to engage with the North Korean regime'', Gen. Powell told Senators on the panel. But he left no doubt of the deep suspicions of the Bush administration on what could be achieved with Pyongyang.

``We have no illusions about this regime. We have no illusions about the nature of this gentleman who runs North Korea. He is a despot'', Gen. Powell remarked. But at the same time, he maintained that there were promising elements in the approach of the Clinton administration.

Senior Democrats on Capitol Hill are genuinely worried that the new Republican administration is letting the opportunities slip away - a sentiment shared by South Korea and its leadership. In fact, the President of South Korea, Mr. Kim Dae Jung, in a speech to a think tank here said, ``We must assist so that North Korea can go along on the path of change''.

The South Korean leader, currently on a visit to the U.S., is finding some pointed differences over his ``Sunshine Policy'', with Mr. Bush openly expressing reservations on the extent to which North Korea could be trusted. Even while there is the anticipation that the Bush administration will finish its review at an early date, Mr. Kim has said that there was the need for verification.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all the goings-on, American intelligence officials are saying that North Korea is getting ready to export missile components from a port on its west coast. According to a story in The Washington Times, the missile shipment was photographed by a U.S. spy satellite within the last several days near the Port of Nampo.

The Times story says that the exact types of missiles are not known but generally believed to be for foreign production of Scud B or Scud C missiles. One unnamed official has been quoted as saying that the shipment appeared to include chemical weapons related warheads. The intelligence community here has long been maintaining that North Korea is a major missile supplier to many nations including Pakistan.

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Section  : International
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