WASHINGTON – As U.S. officials confirmed that North Korea conducted a nuclear test, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice prepared to jet off for the Far East today to “rally the support of our friends and allies” behind U.N. sanctions pressuring neighborhood bully North Korea to halt its nuke program.
“We have no desire to ratchet up the conflict,” Rice told reporters in a preview of her diplomatic mission, “but we’ll have some discussions on precisely how this [U.N. resolution] will be carried out.”
“The world has responded calmly and firmly,” added Rice, who is set for face-to-face meetings with diplomats in Tokyo, South Korea and China. “The purpose of my trip is to rally the support of our friends and allies.”
Meanwhile, National Intelligence Director John Negroponte announced that air samples collected last week near the detonation sight contain “radioactive debris” – indicative of an underground explosion. In a short statement, Negroponte’s office also confirmed that the size of the explosion was small – less than 1 kiloton, a force equal to roughly 1,000 tons of TNT. The size of the American bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II was about 12.5 kilotons.
Rice said the U.N. Security Council approved “a very strong resolution” that would punish and isolate the rogue communist regime of Kim Jong Il in the wake of its nuclear weapons test early last week.
The U.S.-pushed sanctions require North Korea surrender its nuclear weapons – but rules out any threat of military action, a caveat sought by Chinese and Russian diplomats. It also calls on neighboring countries to block North Korea from receiving nuke-making material and other weaponry – and clamp down on the foreign travel of Pyongyang’s scientists.
A key facet of the trip, experts say, is for Rice to convince North Korea’s neighbors to the north and south, China and South Korea, to aggressively enforce the sanctions.
Chinese U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya hinted yesterday that his nation might not intercept equipment or material that could be used to make nuclear, chemical and biological weapons or ballistic missiles. “This is a resolution we have to implement. The question was raised whether China will do inspections. Inspections yes, but inspection is different then interdiction and interception. I think different countries will do it different ways,” Wang said.
The White House moved quickly to calm fears that the Chinese were balking on holding up their end of the sanctions.
“Forty-eight hours or so after the passage of the resolution, there’s already practical talk about how to do those kinds of inspections, particularly at the border, and that will be a focus of joint efforts in the next few weeks,” White House spokesman Tony Snow assured.
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Atomic burp
North Korea’s relatively small nuclear test.
When: Oct. 9, 2006, 1:36 p.m. GMT
Where: Musadan-ri underground mountain complex in North Hamgyong province
Evidence: Radioactive debris and air samples confirm device was nuclear.
Impact: Test registered 4.2 on the Richter scale.
Test result: Some experts believe the small size of explosion indicates it fizzled.
Explosive yield of N. Korea’s nuclear bomb – Less than 1 kiloton (equal to 1,000 tons of TNT)
Size of 1945 Hiroshima bomb 12.5 kilotons