June 27 2008
Statement of
Senator Barack Obama on the North Korean Declaration
This is a
step forward, and there will be many more steps to take in
the days ahead. Critical questions remain unanswered. We
still have not verified the accuracy of the
North
Korean
declaration. We must confirm the full extent of North
Korea’s past plutonium production. We must also confirm its
uranium enrichment activities, and get answers to disturbing
questions about its proliferation activities with other
countries, including Syria.
The declaration has not yet
been made available, so Congress has not had a chance to
review it. Before weighing in on North Korea’s removal from
the list of state sponsors of terrorism, Congress must take
the next 45 days to examine the adequacy of the North Korean
declaration and verification procedures. Sanctions are a
critical part of our leverage to pressure
North
Korea
to act. They should only be lifted based on North Korean
performance. If the North Koreans do not meet their
obligations, we should move quickly to re-impose sanctions
that have been waived, and consider new restrictions going
forward.
We should continue to pursue
the kind of direct and aggressive diplomacy with North Korea
that can yield results. The objective must be clear: the
complete and verifiable elimination of North Korea’s nuclear
weapons programs, which only expanded while we refused to
talk. As we move forward, we must not cede our leverage in
these negotiations unless it is clear that North Korea is
living up to its obligations.
As President, I will work from
the very beginning of my term in office to secure the
American people and our interests in this vital region. We
must work with diligence and determination with our friends
and allies to end this dangerous threat, and to secure a
lasting peace on the Korean peninsula.
