Is it fact or bluff, and what are the implications for regional and world security?
They are the questions being asked now that NORTH KOREA has stated for the first time that it possesses nuclear weapons.
F103-a NKOREAN TV 10 secs
(Korean, then translation) We have manufactured them, to cope with America’s evermore undisguised policy of isolating and stifling us.
A former Australian ambassador to SOUTH KOREA, (mr) RICHARD BROINOWSKI (bron-os-kee), told Sky News that after the UNITED STATES again labelled NORTH KOREA an “outpost of tyranny”, it was time for the nation to talk tough.
F103-b BROINOWSKI 23 secs
I’ve got to say that the Bush administration has been particularly hostile to North Korea. It’s not just the “axis of evil”, and yes the president backed off from that sort of language in his last State of the Union address. But nevertheless, the Americans say “you disarm completely before we begin to negotiate”. And the North Koreans won’t do that, they say “no no, this is the only card we’ve got, let’s sit down and talk”.
The Prime Minister, (mr) JOHN HOWARD, told the Nine Network the North Korean statement needs to be treated seriously.
Mr HOWARD says in particular, it’s important to encourage NORTH KOREA to re-start talks on its nuclear program with the UNITED STATES, CHINA, SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN, and RUSSIA.
F103-c HOWARD 12 secs
There could be an element of bluff. And we will renew our efforts, particularly with the Chinese and the Americans and the Japanese to see if we can’t re-establish those six-power talks.
Professor (mr) JAMES COTTON, from the Australian Defence Force Academy, has visited NORTH KOREA six times since 1986.
He’s NOT surprised at the North Korean statement.
F103-d COTTON 33 secs
Given that they have been working on nuclear weapons for at least 15 years and they have facilities up and running and recent revelations from the AQ Khan* smuggling network, I don’t think it’s any kind of bluff. I think (it’s) quite likely that they have some kind of fissile device according to the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) estimate, even going back five or six years. This term is being used, I believe, simply because the Iraq problem has absorbed so much time and energy and capability that right now the Americans are not capable of doing anything more concrete.
Professor COTTON believes as a close ally, CHINA holds the key to persuading NORTH KOREA to return to negotiations.
But he says there would be concerns in CHINA about NORTH KOREA having nuclear weapons.
F103-e COTTON 24 secs
There is this very intense debate at the moment in China about North Korea. Should they continue to provide this regime with the energy and the food that keeps it going? Or is this issue so serious and so potentially destablising that they should take a different view? If they decide to put pressure on the regime, they are the only people who have the capability to induce some kind of change of policy, so it really is up to the Chinese.
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* AQ Khan — a Pakistani atomic scientist who last year admitted selling sensitive technology to North Korea, Iran, and Libya.
