ID :
183406
Fri, 05/20/2011 - 20:21
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U.S. expresses concerns over N. Korea's WMD transactions with Myanmar
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, May 20 (Yonhap) -- The United States expressed concerns Friday over North Korea's possible proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to Myanmar amid reports that the South Asian state is seeking the North's help to develop nuclear weapons.
Joseph Yun, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, discussed the issue when he visited Myanmar for three days until Friday, the State Department said in a statement.
Yun, the statement said, "conveyed U.S. concerns about Burma's military relationship with North Korea and called on the government to abide by its public commitments to uphold U.N. Security Council resolutions in that regard."
North Korea has been subject to arms and economic embargoes under U.N. resolutions adopted after nuclear and missile tests in 2006 and 2009 that ban the impoverished, nuclear armed country from trading in weapons of mass destruction, some conventional weapons and luxury goods.
While in Yangon, the capital, Yun met with Burmese officials to "reiterate the United States' willingness to improve bilateral relations through principled engagement, while maintaining that progress would depend on the Burmese government taking meaningful, concrete steps toward democratic governance, respect for human rights, and the release of all political prisoners in line with the aspirations of the Burmese people and the international community," the statement said.
Yun also met with Aung San Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders to discuss "how best to promote inclusive dialogue and national reconciliation to fulfill the needs and desires of all Burmese," it said.
U.S. officials have repeatedly warned of possible nuclear proliferation to Myanmar from North Korea.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concerns in July about North Korea's alleged proliferation of nuclear technology to Myanmar.
"We know that a ship from North Korea recently delivered military equipment to Burma and we continue to be concerned by the reports that Burma may be seeking assistance from North Korea with regard to a nuclear program," Clinton said at the time.
In June last year, a North Korean cargo ship, possibly on its way to Myanmar, changed course and returned home after being closely tracked by U.S. Navy vessels.
North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun visited Yangon in July, prompting the U.S. to issue a statement calling on Myanmar to abide by an arms embargo and other U.N. sanctions against it.
Robert Kelly, a nuclear engineer at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, told a forum here last month that Myanmar has not yet developed the technology for nuclear weapons, but may succeed with help from North Korea.
Kelly dismissed as "poor, especially for high-tech activities such as missile and nuclear facilities" the quality of workmanship at the Myanmar factories, but did not preclude the chance of Myanmar succeeding.
"All experts judge that many of these efforts will be unsuccessful and beyond Burma's reach," he said. "So the program is not an immediate military threat, unless there are big changes. These would include support from another country such as DPRK and a shift to more useful technologies such as gas centrifuges. And Burma has a chance of eventually succeeding, still probably only with outside help."
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
WASHINGTON, May 20 (Yonhap) -- The United States expressed concerns Friday over North Korea's possible proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to Myanmar amid reports that the South Asian state is seeking the North's help to develop nuclear weapons.
Joseph Yun, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, discussed the issue when he visited Myanmar for three days until Friday, the State Department said in a statement.
Yun, the statement said, "conveyed U.S. concerns about Burma's military relationship with North Korea and called on the government to abide by its public commitments to uphold U.N. Security Council resolutions in that regard."
North Korea has been subject to arms and economic embargoes under U.N. resolutions adopted after nuclear and missile tests in 2006 and 2009 that ban the impoverished, nuclear armed country from trading in weapons of mass destruction, some conventional weapons and luxury goods.
While in Yangon, the capital, Yun met with Burmese officials to "reiterate the United States' willingness to improve bilateral relations through principled engagement, while maintaining that progress would depend on the Burmese government taking meaningful, concrete steps toward democratic governance, respect for human rights, and the release of all political prisoners in line with the aspirations of the Burmese people and the international community," the statement said.
Yun also met with Aung San Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders to discuss "how best to promote inclusive dialogue and national reconciliation to fulfill the needs and desires of all Burmese," it said.
U.S. officials have repeatedly warned of possible nuclear proliferation to Myanmar from North Korea.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concerns in July about North Korea's alleged proliferation of nuclear technology to Myanmar.
"We know that a ship from North Korea recently delivered military equipment to Burma and we continue to be concerned by the reports that Burma may be seeking assistance from North Korea with regard to a nuclear program," Clinton said at the time.
In June last year, a North Korean cargo ship, possibly on its way to Myanmar, changed course and returned home after being closely tracked by U.S. Navy vessels.
North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun visited Yangon in July, prompting the U.S. to issue a statement calling on Myanmar to abide by an arms embargo and other U.N. sanctions against it.
Robert Kelly, a nuclear engineer at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, told a forum here last month that Myanmar has not yet developed the technology for nuclear weapons, but may succeed with help from North Korea.
Kelly dismissed as "poor, especially for high-tech activities such as missile and nuclear facilities" the quality of workmanship at the Myanmar factories, but did not preclude the chance of Myanmar succeeding.
"All experts judge that many of these efforts will be unsuccessful and beyond Burma's reach," he said. "So the program is not an immediate military threat, unless there are big changes. These would include support from another country such as DPRK and a shift to more useful technologies such as gas centrifuges. And Burma has a chance of eventually succeeding, still probably only with outside help."
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
