AFP: UN nuclear watchdog upbeat after rare visit to North Korea

[Eugene]

UN nuclear watchdog upbeat after rare visit to North Korea

by Robert J. Saiget

2 hours, 19 minutes ago

BEIJING (AFP) - The head of the UN's atomic watchdog said Wednesday
his agency's first direct talks with North Korea in more than four years
had been useful and the Stalinist nation remained committed to disarming.

However, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei
also cautioned significant hurdles remained in the long-running international
campaign to end North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.

"The DPRK (North Korea) said they were committed to the denuclearization
of the Korean peninsula. But that won't happen overnight," ElBaradei told
reporters in Beijing after his two-day visit to Pyongyang.

ElBaradei's visit was his first since the atomic watchdog's inspectors
were kicked out of North Korea in December 2002.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070314/wl_afp/nkoreanuclearpoliticsiaea_070314143805

[Eugene]

1. AP: U.S. to Release Disputed N. Korea Money

U.S. to Release Disputed N. Korea Money


Wednesday March 14, 2007 6:01 PM

By JEANNINE AVERSA

AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration is taking steps that could enable
the release of North Korean assets frozen in a Macau bank - an action sought
by Pyongyang as part of a nuclear arms deal.

In a two-step decision, the Treasury is severing ties between Banco Delta
Asia and the U.S. financial system because of its alleged money laundering
for North Korea, a government official said Wednesday. The official spoke on
condition of anonymity because the official announcement has not yet been
made.

At the same time, however, the department is expected to provide guidance
to help overseas regulators identify highest-risk and lower-risk account holders.
This risk assessment in turn could be used by Macau to release some North
Korean money that has been frozen and is being held by the bank.

Treasury planned a news conference later Wednesday.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6480070,00.html