North Korea Willing to Let UN Inspectors in If Funds Released

Several news organizations are reporting a potential break through with negotiations with North Korea. "North Korea's top nuclear negotiator told a visiting U.S. delegation Monday that his government would immediately invite U.N. nuclear inspectors into the country if $25 million in disputed North Korean funds is released. North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan met with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Anthony Principi, President Bush's former veteran affairs secretary, who were visiting the capital." (USA Today News article)

Practical issues with compliance of set deadlines were also discussed. "Kim also told the U.S. delegation of the difficulty of shutting down the country's main nuclear reactor by a Saturday deadline called for in a February nuclear disarmament accord, he said. 'They can make a beginning, but whether they can completely shut down a nuclear reactor in such a short time would be very difficult,' Principi said. The delegation, which also includes Victor Cha, Bush's top adviser on North Korea, is on a four-day trip to Pyongyang to recover remains of American servicemen killed in the Korean War. Richardson, governor of New Mexico and a former ambassador to the U.N., said Sunday he had no intention of negotiating nuclear matters." (Fox News article)

As reported by various news outlets, the real issue to the agreement is the release of frozen funds. "In Tokyo, the top U.S. nuclear envoy said Monday the deadline for North Korea to shut down its reactor is becoming difficult to meet because of the ongoing dispute over the frozen North Korean funds, adding that 'the next day or two' would be key to resolving the standoff. 'Clearly, we're aiming for the complete implementation of the February agreement by day 60 ... but that timeline is becoming difficult,' said Christopher Hill, who is in Japan to discuss the next stage of the nuclear talks. The $25 million in 50 North Korean accounts at Banco Delta Asia in the Chinese-administered region of Macau was frozen in September 2005 after the U.S. accused the bank of helping the communist nation launder money and handle counterfeit U.S. bills. The money is a key part of the negotiations, with the impoverished North refusing to move forward due to the delayed transfer. Last week, the State Department said a hitch stalling the release of the funds had been resolved. No details were released on when or how the money would be transferred. Washington supports the release of all the funds, but the reluctance of international banks to deal with North have complicated returning the money, Hill suggested Monday." (CBS News article) If a transfer of the funds can be negotiated, and logistical issues resolved, the agreement will go into affect.