Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, the ongoing controversy concerning international inspection of North Korea's nuclear program has clearly reached the watershed point. On May 14, engineers began the removal of spent fuel rods from the Yongbyon Reactor, North Korea's principal nuclear facility. Based on the findings from the limited inspections that have been permitted in the past, there is no doubt that weapons-grade plutonium can be extracted from the kind of fuel rods used at Yongbyon. The current refueling operation at Yongbyon will take at least another several weeks to complete--and the crucial removal of the spent fuel rods was begun without any on-site inspection by independent observers. Mr. Chairman, this is the moment that everyone has feared--this is the time when North Korea has to show its hand once and for all. Over the past weekend, North Korea did permit an inspection team to conduct at least a visual examination of the fuel rods that have already been removed. This initial indication that North Korea may be willing to cooperate is welcome, but it is not being too dramatic to say that the fate of international efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons is still hanging in the balance. North Korea has a history of taking one step forward toward cooperation, only to back up later and become intransigent--therefore the pressure cannot be let up.”