North Korea Expecting Normal Access to International Banking System

Initially reported as accepting the request:

“Russia has accepted a U.S. request that a Russian bank help end a stalemate over frozen North Korean funds that has halted progress in the North's nuclear disarmament.”

Now is has been agreed upon:

“Russia has agreed to help the United States break the impasse over a long-running banking dispute.”

North Korea agreed during six party talks on February 13^th to dismantle its nuclear programs, in part understanding they would receive $25 million in frozen money. North Korea missed its April 14^th deadline for the first step, which was shutting down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor citing claims it has not received the money. Setting aside the pathetic nature of agreeing to release the funds; North Korea had the means to get the money, but refused to unless the money was transferred; as noted by someone’s Yahoo:

“The communist state insists on a transfer rather than a withdrawal to prove it has regained access to the international banking system.”

All previous reporting of this subject and excepting the paltry sum of it indicated North Korean claims of not closing down the Yongbyon reactor due to its not receiving the $25 million. Now the North’s claim is that they wanted a transfer, which to them is seen as a regaining of access to the international banking system.

Let’s see if it plays out like the following:

• Russia’s private bank agrees to the transaction as long it is not nailed with the penalties of doing business with North Korea.

• North Korea receives its $25 million.

• North Korea does not meet its obligation to close down Yongbyon because it does not have regular access to the international banking system.

Looks like we'll be back to the drawing board.

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Of UN Resolutions, Russian Decrees and No Rice for You - North Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree against North Korea that is inline with the U.N. resolution 1718, which recalled previous relevant resolutions 825 from 1993; 1540 from 2004 and 1695 from 2006 banning:

“trading with North Korea in materials, goods and technology which could contribute to North Korea's development of weapons of mass destruction-related programs such as those of missiles and nuclear weapons.”

“It also prohibits exports of luxury goods to North Korea and those to the North from third countries by way of Russia or Russian business corporations.”

U.N. resolution 1718 reaffirmed, expressed the gravest concern, expressed profound concern, expressed a firm conviction, deplored, deplored further, condemned, demanded and decided. Perhaps this is why Putin took as long as he did in issuing his presidential decree.

According to first deputy head of the State Duma Leonid Slutsky:

‘”Pyongyang isolated itself from the world community and tries to develop its nuclear program on its own."’

In related news:

“U.S. President George W. Bush admitted during his talks in April with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the U.S. government failed to fully read North Korean actions over the recent banking impasse.”

The “recent banking impasse” the agreement with North Korea:

“which has many parts, working groups, and rewards for Pyongyang, all spun out of the Six-Party talks in Beijing, and described by Hill, State’s envoy to the talks, as “an excellent plan.” This Saturday (4/15/07) marks the deadline for the initial 60-day phase in which Kim was supposed to have spent the time shutting down his Yongbyon reactor, providing a map of his entire nuclear program and opening wide for inspections.”

Concerns at the time were that North Korea would miss the deadline referred to above; which surprisingly North Korea missed….hmmmm.

Kim and the Gang are all worked up today with the accusation that South Korea has failed to honor “a promise to ship it more rice aid.” The South for its part will only provide the rice as promised, once the North actually gets around to honoring its pledge to start nuclear disarmament.

DeMediacratic Nation agrees with the South Korean stand on the rice shipment and expresses the gravest concern, profound concern, a firm conviction, deplores, deplores further, and last, but not least condemns North Korea for its actions or inactions.

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