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| Korea |
| Lawmaker: White House Nixed N. Korea Trip |
| 2003-10-27 |
| WASHINGTON (AP) - A Republican congressman said Sunday that opposition from the White House caused him to scrub plans to lead a group of U.S. lawmakers to the site of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.``At the 11th hour, the White House withdrew its support for our bipartisan visit to North Korea,’’ Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., said in a statement. It said Sunday’s scheduled departure has been delayed temporarily. KCNA, North Korea’s official news agency, reported that the congressional delegation had notified Kim Jong Il’s government Friday that the trip was canceled ``due to the opposition of the White House.’’ A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Bush had good discussions on his recent trip to Asia on moving forward with multinational diplomacy to persuade the North to move forward to end its nuclear weapons program. To try to keep the focus on that process, the official said, ``we believe that a congressional delegation visit to North Korea at this time would not be appropriate.’’ More engaged apathy, as Steven Den Beste would call it. Let the NKors hang. Weldon is considered an expert on foreign policy matters, especially involving Russia, China and other former Cold War rivals such as North Korea. He had planned to visit the communist-led North from Tuesday through Friday. He led a delegation there in late May and said on his return that North Korea’s government was ready to bargain about its weapons development program and nuclear stockpiles. See how well that turned out? KCNA said North Korea had planned to invite Weldon’s delegation to visit Yongbyon, North Korea’s main nuclear complex. Weldon and his congressional colleagues would have been the first outsiders at the plant since North Korea threw out U.N. nuclear inspectors late last year. The Congresscritters, unschooled in basic nuclear inspection, would have issued some statement how things looked ’ok’, thus complicating our diplomacy. Hence the delay. ``Discussions continue between our delegation and North Korean officials,’’ Weldon said in his statement. ``The members of the delegation still believe that a congressional visit will positively impact relations between our two nations. ``In that regard, the North Koreans continue to make overtures that our delegation will have access to the Yongbyon nuclear facility.’’ Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday any reciprocal agreement leading to written assurances against an attack on North Korea would have to be verifiable.``The president has made it clear since the beginning of this situation last year that he had no intention of invading North Korea,’’ Powell said on NBC’s ``Meet the Press.’’ ``North Korea listened to these assurances, and we’ve been doing diplomatic dances for the last year. ``And in the last several days, after the president, once again, reaffirmed his position with President Hu Jintao of China and other leaders in Thailand last week, the North Koreans have responded ... to suggest they wish to pursue the ideas that the president has put on the table.’’ "Marvin! What’s the situation with North Korea?" "Well Mr. Secretary, the North Koreans say they want to pursue what the President offered to them." "Figures. Allright, what does the calendar look like?" "Well Mr. Secretary, April, 2004 is open." "Nope, nope, have to see the dentist then." "July is promising." "Can’t, that’s the summer vacation with the wife and kids." "February, 2005 is open for now." "Book it. Now then, how soon can the Chinese turn off the oil?" "Before then." "Excellent, Marvin, excellent." |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #10 Youse guyz can go to North Korea--but NO Cuba for yuz--sez Dade County |
| Posted by: NotMikeMoore 2003-10-28 12:14:10 AM |
| #9 Just a minute OP--I thought I was the moon bat |
| Posted by: NotMikeMoore 2003-10-28 12:12:58 AM |
| #8 And the snack: Grass, grass, grass At least now we know why the Koreans are such moooo-nbats. Careful where you walk - cow pies are not to eat. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-10-27 10:50:01 PM |
| #7 And the snack: Grass, grass, grass |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-10-27 2:18:24 PM |
| #6 After dinner mint......... leaves. Don't for get the mint. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-10-27 1:58:53 PM |
| #5 You're all wrong. Weldon must've bailed after he got a copy of the NKOR menu: Breakfast: Tree bark & grass. Lunch: Grass and tree bark. Dinner: Tree bark & grass. |
| Posted by: Raj 2003-10-27 1:24:12 PM |
| #4 I think the White House is assuming that Kim will try to use the trip by the Congressmen as a bilateral forum. This potentially lets China off the hook for dealing with their problem child. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-10-27 11:48:37 AM |
| #3 Re: FrankG - Good Luck, man - I SURE hope they contain it before it reaches Santee! Take care of the family - everything else is just stuff. Re: NorK - The President sets Foreign Policy - AP is dead right. If the President decides that the US message and position will be muddled, or that there are delegation members who need psychiatric treatment, he can and should try to dissuade them. Travel to NorK is unrestricted (amazing... see for yourself: http://travel.state.gov/nkorea.html). They have to show some good sense. A novel idea. |
| Posted by: .com 2003-10-27 11:43:18 AM |
| #2 A congressional delegation to NORK would be counter productive to our interests. The NORKS would just use it as divide and conquer, or a wedgie, if you please. The congresspeople need to stay the hell out. One can see how much progress has been made with the NORK talks with Elliot Richardson. The sooner Kimmie falls, the sooner the world can help the North Korean people, who have taken the brunt of this madness too long. On an unrelated topic, I was in touch with Frank G in Santee yesterday. They had raging fires about 4 miles from his house, with ash falling. He and his family are packed and ready to evaacuate, if necessary. Good thoughts and prayers for him and his family. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-10-27 11:16:14 AM |
| #1 Whadda ya say we don't hand 'em any hostages just yet, eh? |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-10-27 10:56:28 AM |