In The News

N. Korea Says It Has Nuclear Arms

Glenn Kessler April 25, 2003
Talks opened on Wednesday between North Korea, China, and the United States to discuss solutions to a burgeoning nuclear crisis in the Korean peninsula. Instead of a resolution, the talks brought out the news that the Korean nuclear program may be further along than they had originally admitted. Korean officials claim to have built a nuclear weapon and almost finished the reprocessing of 8,000...

Clashing Agendas Threaten Start of North Korea Talks

Doug Struck April 20, 2003
American leadership in the world is being tested in Asia. A Wednesday meeting between the US, China, and North Korea is still on schedule, but it's not clear what – if anything – will come of it. The US wants Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program and re-submit to UN inspections, but observers say that's unlikely unless the US gives something in exchange to North Korea. Within the...

North Koreans and U.S. Plan Talks in Beijing Next Week

David E. Sanger April 16, 2003
The US will begin negotiations with North Korea in Beijing – the first talk between the two governments since North Korea threw out nuclear weapons inspectors. The US had contended that it would not talk to North Korea until it gave up its nuclear arms program. Furthermore, it feared that one-on-one talks with North Korea would drive a wedge between the US and its allies. North Korea, wishing to...

IMF Riven by US-Europe Tiff Over Iraqi Debt

April 15, 2003
The rehabilitation and reconstruction of a post-war Iraq is quickly emerging as a complex issue of global proportions. Iraqi liabilities are estimated at over $380 billion. While the United States favors debt forgiveness, other major UN Security Council member countries, such as France, Germany and Russia are less inclined to support complete debt forgiveness. International financial...

Clinton Calls on Bush to Make Deal with North Korea

Marisa Helms April 14, 2003
"Former President Bill Clinton says he agrees with the Bush administration's fight against terrorism. But, he said it's North Korea, not Iraq that poses the biggest threat with its weapons of mass destruction." Clinton also declaims the Bush administration's tax cut proposal. Clinton proposes a comprehensive US foreign policy toward North Korea that would deter the...

U.S. Search for Illegal Arms Narrowed to About 36 Sites

Don Van Natta Jr. April 14, 2003
The search for chemical, biological and nuclear weapons in Iraq continues. Though US officials have “no doubt” they will find these weapons, their search has uncovered nothing as yet. The search to establish links between a terrorist group in Northern Iraq, Ansar-al-Islam, to Al Qaeda has also come up short. In the meantime, the US is compiling scores of files, computer hard disks, and compact...

U.S. Sharply Scolds Syria and Threatens Sanctions

David Stout April 14, 2003
Following the toppling of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the Bush administration warned Syria to "ponder the implications" of supporting terrorism, developing chemical weapons and harboring fugitives from Saddam Hussein’s regime. Despite issuing harsh warning, the Bush Administration insists that it will explore all diplomatic and economic options in dealing with Syria. Syria has denied all...