North Korea plays to US rules

If we are to believe everything we read in the Western press, then North Korea is to blame for reneging on a deal to pursue its nuclear programme. But under the shrieking headlines, analysts may get the opportunity to say it is the US to blame because it moved the goalposts.

Cutting away all the diplomatic verbiage, the agreement was that if North Korea abandoned its nuclear programme (claimed by North Korea to be for domestic purposes, but alleged by the US to be for weapons) then North Korea would receive Western aid and assistance in developing its energy requirements. The US also agreed that in parallel, it would remove North Korea from its list of terrorist nations.

North Korea stuck by its side of the agreement, to much public fanfare and approbation, but then the US decided to change the rules. It claimed it would only remove North Korea from its list once independent verification (by the International Atomic Energy Agency) had been made.

A huffed North Korea decided to remove the seals from its present reactors. Yet it is a gesture only, since the equipment isn't there to start up again for at least six months - more than enough time for the US to fall back in line.