ヒル氏の上院公聴会証言 |
下記ニュースについて
クリストファー・ヒル氏の上院公聴会(2月6日)での発言を報じたロイター発の記事である。ワシントン・ポストとニューヨーク・タイムズの電子版から転載した。
「事前に(拉致問題と「テロ支援国指定」解除問題を)固くリンクさせることは、わが国の利益にならないし、日本の利益にも、誰の利益にもならないと思う("I don't think it's in our country's interest or Japan's interest or anyone's interest to make these hard linkages in advance.")」という部分は、日本のニュース映像でも流れた。
全体に、北朝鮮が出してくるはずの(そして、昨年末という期限が過ぎている)「完全かつ正確な核申告」にプルトニウムの製造記録(production records)が付いていれば、それで検証可能な申告と見なし、拉致問題で進展がなくとも、北の「テロ支援国指定」を解除したいとの意向がはっきり窺える。
さらに今回は、「完全な非核化の文脈において、完全な外交関係樹立を準備することになろう」とも述べ、「テロ支援国指定」解除というカードを前倒しで安売りする分、「米朝国交正常化」というカードも、「非核化」後ではなく、やはり前倒しで切らざるをえないとの姿勢を見せている。
放っておけば、ズルズルどこまでも北朝鮮ペースにはまりかねないヒル氏の危うい傾向が改めて示された場面といえよう。
ただし、下記二つの記事を見ると、「同盟国を置き去りにすることはない」「不完全で不正確な申告は受け入れられない」(当然のことだが)といった発言もあり、日米両国の、特に議会におけるハードライナーの存在が、ライス・ヒル路線の歯止めとなっている事情も随所に窺える。
The
U.S. ready for full ties if N.Korea denuclearizes
By Arshad Mohammed and Paul Eckert
Reuters
Wednesday, February 6, 2008; 3:33 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The
"We believe that we have some elements that we can put on the table which will be worth the DPRK's while in giving up its nuclear ambitions," Hill told lawmakers, referring to the country by its formal name, the Democratic People's
"In the context of full denuclearization we would be prepared to establish full diplomatic relations," he added.
The comment appeared to be the most explicit to date by a U.S. official raising the possibility of normal relations with the secretive, communist state if it carries through with an agreement to abandon all its nuclear weapons and programs.
He also held out the possibility of quickly opening a peace process among the two
Under an agreement between the two
A key sticking point in the "six-party" process has been
It also agreed to disable its key nuclear facilities at Yongbyon, a process Hill said was going "very well" although
'REASON TO BELIEVE'
"We intend to ensure that
Hill said North Korea had given the United States reason to believe it would disclose the amount of separated plutonium, -- which can be used in atomic bombs -- that it has made as well as production records allowing Washington to verify this.
"We have very good reason to believe that when they give us the amount of the separated plutonium -- the actual weapons grade plutonium -- that they have that we will get an amount that we will be able to verify," he said.
"We can verify through a number of means, including production records. So they have agreed to do that," he said.
Hill laid out three areas where he wants greater clarity about
"We need to know what went on there in the past," he said of the possibility of North Korean nuclear proliferation, saying
"We cannot accept a declaration that is incomplete or incorrect," he added.
One senator on the panel pressed Hill for an explanation on a possible North Korean role in a suspected Syrian covert nuclear site bombed by
Hill said the
"Beginning back in October or late September with the Syrian enigma, there's been a mood shift in Washington and even strong proponents of the six-party talks as they are being pursued were disillusioned and had some growing skepticism," said Bruce Klingner, Korea expert at the Heritage Foundation.
"If their data declaration and verification had gone smoothly, that skepticism would have dissipated," he said.
The New York Times
February 6, 2008
U.S. Rejects Linking Japan Abductees to North Korea Deal
By REUTERS
Filed at 5:10 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States rejects formally linking the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea to diplomatic rewards for Pyongyang's pledged denuclearization, the U.S. nuclear envoy said on Wednesday.
But Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill told a U.S. Senate panel that ally
The fate of at least 12 Japanese kidnapped by North Koreans decades ago is a highly emotive issue in
"I don't think it's in our country's interest or
But Hill said he assured
Hill told the Senate hearing that he raises the abductees in every meeting with North Koreans.
"I keep in my wallet a list of these people so that in the event that the North Koreans would mention a specific person I would have it right on hand," he said.
Although
(Reporting by Paul Eckert)