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US officials believe that fresh satellite photos of N Korea show intensive preparations for a possible nuclear weapons test.
The imagery supposedly shows tunnels being dug under a mountain in the country's north-eastern region; it also suggests activities which are possibly the effort to contain an underground blast. As well, the pictures show what appears to be an observation stand a few miles away.
Details of the satellite 'intelligence' were reported by the New York Times yesterday, quoting Pentagon and White House officials, who pointed out that the apparent test preparations could be a ruse to pressure the US into making concessions at the negotiating table.
The prospect of a nuclear test has alarmed the neighbours, who have spent the past couple years trying to ward off a confrontation between Pyongyang and Washington. South Korea and China are increasingly worried that an underground test is a matter of when, not if. Chinese officials, since the beginning of this year, have been visiting the US embassy in Beijing to request intelligence updates regarding the matter. South Korea's foreign minister, Ban Ki-moon, and his Chinese counterpart, Li Zhaoxing, warned Pyongyang yesterday that any further escalation of the 30-month nuclear standoff would backfire diplomatically. Meanwhile, Japan has threatened punitive actions unless N Korea returns to the 'six-party' talks. The Japanese foreign minister suggests that, without progress, they may end up having to take the issue to the UN security council.
A US Defence Intelligence Agency official said the NY Times account was accurate. "There was nothing in that report that I would dispute," said the official. "There are different tricks of the trade the N Koreans could be doing, and there is so much you don't know about what they're thinking."
However will we sleep at night?
The latest report suggested that there was disagreement within US intelligence over the photographs' significance. It noted: "Officials at one American intelligence agency said they were unaware of the new activity." CIA Officials would not comment on the report.
David Albright, director of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security:
"I'm told the White House is obsessed with this. It might be an effort by the administration to get China to put more pressure on the N Koreans. You don't know for sure. Don't forget you're looking at something from 200 miles up. I didn't see anything in [the article] that would elevate it above a suspect site." Albright believes the alert should be used to make diplomatic preparations for a future N Korean test, so that applicable countries in the region can maintain a common front. "You don't want to be unprepared..." he said.
N Korea's intentions remain unclear. It has boasted about its "nuclear deterrent", but has yet to demonstrate that it has technology to explode a bomb. Two years ago, the CIA estimated that N Korea might have enough plutonium for two bombs; however, since then, Pyongyang has resumed operations at its Yongbyon nuclear plant, potentially producing materials for weapons.
Guardian Unlimited |
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