Bush Seeks $3.5 Million for Group Building N. Korean Reactors

Arming the Axis of Evil

01/17 17:52
Bush Seeks $3.5 Million for Group Building N. Korean Reactors
By Todd Zeranski


Washington, Jan. 17 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush is seeking $3.5 million for the international consortium that continues to build two nuclear reactors for North Korea, even as the U.S. confronts the communist regime over nuclear arms.

The funding, which must be approved by Congress, would go toward the New York-based Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization's administrative funding, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. The money wouldn't fund reactor construction, he said.

``We're not prejudging the decisions on the organization's future,'' Boucher told reporters. ``Proposals for funds are intended to maintain the flexibility we need to achieve our global nonproliferation goals.''

The sum is the U.S. share of KEDO's $17 million operating budget, including its 40 workers in New York and eight in North Korea, KEDO spokesman Brian Kremer said. As many as 1,500 construction workers remain in Kumho, in northeastern North Korea, pouring the concrete foundations for the reactors, which won't be completed for several years, he said.

The 1994 Agreed Framework created the organization, committing the U.S., Japan and South Korea to build the reactors and deliver enough fuel oil for North Korea's energy needs until the facilities were ready. South Korea is paying for most of the reactor project.

In exchange, North Korea would scrap reactors tied to a nuclear arms effort and allow international inspectors to verify compliance. Two new 1,000-megawatt, light-water reactors, valued at $4.6 billion, would provide enough power to light 2 million U.S. homes, or about 20 percent of North Korea's energy.

The pledge shows the U.S. is still pursuing its commitments to North Korea even as the two countries are squaring off over U.S. allegations North Korea essentially annulled the agreement by covertly enriching uranium for weapons use.

Inspectors Sent Home

North Korea sent home two International Atomic Energy Agency officials who were monitoring the country's compliance with the agreement and withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

This week North Korea reacted angrily to U.S. offers to resume dialogue if the regime abandons its nuclear weapons program, alleging the Bush administration is threatening war.

The principal KEDO members, now the U.S., South Korea, Japan and the European Union, decided to end shipments of fuel oil soon after U.S. envoy James Kelly's October meeting with North Korean officials at which the Bush administration said it learned of the regime's deception.

http://www.newsmax.com/showinside.shtml?a=2002/10/19/114657

"Through the provision of two light water reactors [LWRs] under the 1994 Agreed Framework, the United States, through KEDO, will provide North Korea with the capacity to produce annually enough fissile material for nearly 100 nuclear bombs, should the Democratic People's Republic of Korea [DPRK] decide to violate the Nonproliferation Treaty [NPT]," the Advisory Group warned.

The report explained:

"If the 1994 Agreed Framework is implemented and two LWRs are eventually built and operated in North Korea, the reactors could produce close to 500 kilograms of plutonium in spent reactor fuel each year; enough for nearly 100 bombs annually if North Korea decides to break its obligations and reprocess the material."


Back in april he gave them fund also.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1908571.stm

US grants N Korea nuclear funds

The US Government has announced that it will release $95m to North Korea as part of an agreement to replace the Stalinist country's own nuclear programme, which the US suspected was being misused.
Under the 1994 Agreed Framework an international consortium is building two proliferation-proof nuclear reactors and providing fuel oil for North Korea while the reactors are being built.

In releasing the funding, President George W Bush waived the Framework's requirement that North Korea allow inspectors to ensure it has not hidden away any weapons-grade plutonium from the original reactors.

"These reactors are like all reactors, They have the potential to make weapons. So you might end up supplying the worst nuclear violator with the means to acquire the very weapons we're trying to prevent it acquiring," Henry Sokolski told the Far Eastern Economic Review.

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This is simply amazing, these guys build nuke planst for North Korea and make money from it too!

Rumsfeld was director of company that is part of that group before he became Secretary of Defense!

ABB was a major partner in the consortium that sold N. Korea those nuclear reactors. http://www.abb.com/global/abbzh/abbzh251.nsf!OpenDatabase&db=/global/ABBZH/abbzh250.nsf&v=c&e=us&c=316DCEEDCA12D32E4125686C00433604
"ABB to deliver systems, equipment to North Korean nuclear plants --US$ 200 million in orders awarded under multi-government framework agreement"

Who was on the ABB Board of Directors before becoming Secretary of Defense? Donald Rumsfeld! http://www.abb.com/global/abbzh/abbzh251.nsf!OpenDatabase&db=/global/abbzh/abbzh250.nsf&v=553E&e=us&c=D0E90B053BD5AA65C12569F8002A7CB5



ABB to deliver systems, equipment to North Korean nuclear plants


US$ 200 million in orders awarded under multi-government framework agreement


Zurich, Switzerland, January 20, 2000 – ABB, the global technology group, said today it has signed contracts to deliver equipment and services for two nuclear power stations at Kumho, on the east coast of North Korea. The contracts, with a value of US$ 200 million, were awarded by HANJUNG (Korea Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd.) and KOPEC (Korea Power Engineering Corp.).
The two nuclear plants are being supplied to North Korea under a Supply Agreement with KEDO (Korean Energy Peninsula Development Organization), a consortium formed in 1995 by the governments of the United States, Japan, South Korea and the European Union. KEDO is to provide the stations under the Agreed Framework signed by the U.S. and North Korea in 1994.

Under the terms of the contracts, ABB will provide engineering, design and components for the two 1,000-megawatt (Mwe) light water nuclear steam supply systems. The systems are an advanced version of ABB’s System 80 design, which is being employed under license in eight reactors in South Korea. The two power stations are scheduled to begin commercial operation by 2007 and 2008, respectively.

ABB and BNFL announced in late December of 1999 that British-based BNFL will acquire ABB’s nuclear business, pending regulatory approval.

ABB <http://www.abb.com> is a global technology company serving customers in power transmission and distribution; automation; oil, gas, and petrochemicals; industrial products and contracting; and in financial services. Power generation customers are served by the joint venture ABB ALSTOM POWER. The ABB Group employs about 170,000 people in more than 100 countries. (End)

ABB announces proposed Board, share split


Proposals to be made to March 20 annual general meeting of shareholders


Zurich, Switzerland, February 19, 2001 – ABB today said the Board of Directors will propose changes in its membership at the annual general meeting of shareholders on March 20, as well as a share split to improve the liquidity of ABB’s shares.
The company said that Donald Rumsfeld has resigned his membership on the Board as a result of his recent appointment as U.S. Secretary of Defense. In addition, Göran Lindahl and Peter Sutherland have both decided not to stand for re-election.