[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 70 (Wednesday, June 8, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                              NORTH KOREA

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, during my public career I have tried to 
abide by the bipartisan foreign policy guidelines established by the 
late chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Arthur 
Vandenberg. However, lately I have come to share the view of a more 
recent chairman of that committee, the distinguished Senator from 
Indiana [Mr. Lugar]. He was quoted recently in the Washington Times 
regarding the obvious drift in American foreign policy.
  The distinguished gentleman from Indiana is correct--whether it is 
Bosnia, Haiti, Somalia, or the Indian subcontinent, missteps and 
confusion reign supreme. Nowhere is this more obvious than the chaos 
surrounding the administration's efforts to halt North Korea's nuclear 
weapons program.
  Mr. President, the administration's point person on North Korea, 
Undersecretary of State Lynn Davis, gave a news conference last January 
5. The next day the following headlines appeared: ``North Korea, U.S. 
Reach Agreement Opening Nuclear Sites to Inspection.'' That was the 
Wall Street Journal. The Washington Post headline was similar--``U.S. 
Aide Upbeat on North Korea Talks.'' USA Today was even more positive: 
``North Korea Yields on Nukes.''
  It is not my intention to embarrass Ms. Davis. Over the past 16 
months, other members of the administration at even higher levels, have 
been equally optimistic about North Korea. And equally wrong.
  In my judgment, Mr. President, time is running out on our policy 
toward North Korea. If the North Koreans are to be believed, they are 
removing the fuel rods from their research reactor with IAEA inspectors 
present. This is directly contrary to North Korea's solemn obligations 
under the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. If the north can get away 
with ignoring its obligations under the NPT, it sets a dangerous 
precedent for other nations, such as Iran.
  It is also my judgment that what is going on here is a very real 
issue. First, North Korea has exported every modern weapons system it 
has produced. Second, the country is destitute. Therefore, there is 
every likelihood that a North Korean nuclear weapon could be put up for 
sale to the highest bidder.
  Mr. President, I happen to agree with President Clinton on the 
importance that should be paid to the economy. That does not mean, 
however, that matters of vital national security should be ignored or 
mishandled, as they surely are today.

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