US says North Korea need not completely disarm before reaping benefits

[True_Blue]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said that North Korea (news - web sites) need not completely dismantle its nuclear weapons arsenal before receiving benefits under an aid-for-disarmament proposal offered to the Stalinist state.

"I don't think anyone is asking DPRK to completely disarm ... and only then will the United States and other members of the six-party process give them benefits," said senior State Department official Evens Revere Friday.

"That's not the explanation we provided to the DPRK," he said, referring to Pyongyang's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Revere, the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, was speaking at a Washington forum on the six-party talks designed to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

more....
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1530&ncid=731&e=9&u=/afp/20050312/wl_asia_afp/usnkoreanuclear

[cliss]

1. If North Korea does not understand the US's

message, don't blame the North Koreans.

Washington has now become the World's master at Inconsistent Communications. First, they label N. Korea as one of the 'Axis of evil'. Next, they ignore Kim Jong Il when he wanted to get together and talk.

Now, they are offering the olive branch in an effort to "patch things up" ( a little hint = China gave the US the word that they had BETTER get together and talk, soon).

They need to get a grip.

[Frances]

2. Are we backing down on Korea and Iran?

Does that mean that Venezuela should start worrying?

[FloridaPat]

3. We're not backing down on Iran. Maybe N. Korea - no oil.

And Venezuela should worry. They're on the list still.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Venezuela is at the top of the "list" n/t