DPRK Accuses U.S. of Violating Bilateral Agreement on Nuclear Security

The DPRK accused the USA of violating the bilateral agreement on nuclear security, signed in 1994. In compliance with this agreement, Pyongyang had to freeze its nuclear programme in exchange for the US help in building two light water atomic reactors.

On Monday, the Radio Pyongyang declared that almost eight years have passed since the signing of the agreement, but its implementation is on the initial stage.

The agreement stipulated the delivery to the North Korea of two reactors and the completion of the construction, on their basis, of an atomic power station by the year 2003. But the building of the foundation for this station began only on August 7, this year. The international consortium, whose main participants are South Korea and Japan, take part in the construction under the US aegis.

Last week the USA also accused the DPRK of violating this agreement. After the Pyongyang visit of a special envoy of the US president, James Kelly, he noted that North Korea resumed nuclear developments. Officially, nothing was reported in the DPRK about this statement, and observers assess the commentary of Radio Pyongyang as the first public reaction of the North Korean side.

Relations between the North Korea and the USA have aggravated after the present Washington administration came to power. President George Bush included the DPRK in the list of countries of the "axis of evil" alongside with Iraq and Iran. This created difficulties for the nascent rapprochement of South Korea and Japan, which have allied obligations before the United States, with North Korea.