North Korea : terrorism list removal? / Larry A. Niksch, Mark E. Manyin, Raphael Perl.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Niksch, Larry A., author.

Manyin, Mark E., author.

Perl, Raphael, author.

Series:

CRS report for Congress RL30613.

CRS report for Congress ; RL30613

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Diplomatic relations.

Terrorism--Prevention--Government policy.

Terrorism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, 2004.

Summary:

The issue of North Korea's inclusion on the U.S. list of terrorism-supporting countries has arisen twice in recent U.S.-North Korean diplomacy. In 2000, North Korea demanded that the Clinton Administration remove North Korea from the terrorism-support list before North Korea would send a high level envoy to Washington and accept the Clinton Administration's proposal to begin negotiations with the United States over the North Korean missile program. In 2003, multilateral negotiations involving six governments began over North Korea's nuclear programs in the wake of North Korea's actions to terminate its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the 1994 U.S.-North Korean Agreed Framework. In the six party talks, North Korea demanded that in return for a North Korean "freeze" of its plutonium nuclear program, the United States agree to a number of U.S. concessions, including removing North Korea from the U.S. terrorism-support list. During the 2000 negotiation, the Clinton Administration heeded the urgings of Japan to keep North Korea on the terrorism-support list until North Korea satisfied Japan regarding North Korean terrorist acts against Japan, especially the kidnapping of Japanese citizens. In June 2004, the Bush Administration tabled a proposal to settle the North Korean nuclear issue through the complete dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear programs. Once North Korea had undertaken several specified actions leading toward dismantlement, the United States would negotiate over the terrorism-support list. In late 2006 and early 2007, the Bush Administration reportedly offered North Korea removal from the U.S. terrorism list if North Korea agreed to end its nuclear programs. U.S. and North Korean diplomats negotiated much of the Six Party Nuclear Agreement, which was signed on February 13, 2007. North Korea subsequently indicated that it would press the Bush Administration to remove North Korea as a condition for negotiation of implementation of the second phase of the Agreement, which was scheduled to begin in April 2007. The Bush Administration will have to consider two other factors in this negotiation. One, Japan, the United States' key ally in East Asia, strongly urges the United States to keep North Korea on the terrorism until Pyongyang resolves its kidnapping of Japanese citizens. Two, Congress has supported Japan on the kidnapping issue through a 2005 congressional resolution, and important elements of Congress have demanded a resolution, and important elements of Congress have demanded a resolution of the case of a Korean clergyman -- a legal U.S. resident -- whom North Korea kidnapped in 2000. Assuming clearly announced and demonstrated changes in DPRK policies supportive of terrorism -- a scenario that may occur within the next several years and possibly sooner -- Administration policymakers would face a number of options that include (1) waiting, doing nothing, and retaining North Korea on both the "state sponsors" of terrorism list and the nations "not fully cooperating" list; (2) downgrading the DPRK to the "not fully cooperating" category; (3) easing sanctions subject to presidential waiver; and (4) removing the DPRK from both lists. Congress would have a direct role in a removal of North Korea from the terrorism list, because the executive branch must notify Congress before actual removal and Congress would have the option to initiate legislation to block removal.

Notes:

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