[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR DEAL

  (Mr. SCHIFF asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, the announcement in Beijing yesterday that 
the Government of North Korea has agreed to abandon its nuclear weapons 
program is a positive step, and I applaud the efforts of Assistant 
Secretary of State Christopher Hill, as well as the efforts of our 
negotiating partners, Japan, South Korea, Russia and China.
  Obviously much work remains to be done to ensure that North Korea 
follows through on its pledge to halt plutonium production at Yongbyon 
and to allow the return of international inspectors, as well as to 
resolve other outstanding issues; most noticeably, the need for 
complete declaration from Pyongyang of all of its nuclear activities 
and final disposition of North Korea's existing nuclear program.
  As with past agreements with the reclusive regime of Kim Jong-Il, 
this agreement could collapse at any time.
  There is now, however, rare optimism that a significant ratcheting 
down of tensions with the North is possible. The agreement should serve 
to remind those in the administration who see confrontation as the only 
way to convince Iran to abandon its nuclear program, that diplomacy can 
be effective, even if it is often immensely frustrating.
  I hope that the President and Secretary of State will use this 
breakthrough with North Korea to reinvigorate diplomatic efforts to 
prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

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