No 'open door' for North Korea

By Mark Silva

The removal of North Korea from a list of states that sponsor terrorism and easing of restrictions under the Trading with Enemies Act will not "open the door" to a flood of new trade, the White House says, pointing to many more sanctions that Pyongyang still faces for human rights abuses and nuclear proliferation.

"This is not opening the door at this time for commercial relations," Steve Hadley, the president's national security adviser, said this morning. "That is one of the prospects that is open."

In exchange for North Korea's disclosure of its nuclear program - delivered today in documents for the Chinese, partners with the U.S. in six-party talks with North Korea - the Bush administration is lifting three sanctions under the Trading with Enemies Act but keeping two others. The White House also is advising Congress of its intent to remove North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terror within 45 days.

"The degree of easing of sanctions is relatively minor," Hadley said. Yet the actions should be seen as significant in dealings with North Korea.

"It is symbolic," Hadley said. "For the North Koreans, it is important for them not to be on a list that says, 'enemies'... and 'state sponsors of terror.'" Asked if the White House truly no longer perceives North Korea as part of that "axis of evil" which President Bush identified in 2002, Hadley said that U.S. law defines a state sponsor of terror as a nation supporting ongoing terrorist activity, and the U.S. has no indication that North Korea is doing that -- "By the book, they are entitled to get off the list."

Under the Trading with Enemies Act, the White House is lifting three sanctions - licensing of Americans who want to import goods from North Korea, involvement in third-party shipments and bans on some financial transfers by the North Korean government. The White House is keeping two sanctions in place: interaction of U.S. citizens with North Korean-flagged ships and freezing of some assets.

The U.S. remains concerned about how much plutonium North Korea has produced and how many bombs it has, Hadley said.

Pyongyang is providing an account, in kilograms, of the amount of plutonium - and counting bombs will follow - "It's pretty easy to do the math," Hadley said.

The U.S. also remains concerned about nuclear enrichment, which the North Koreans say they have suspended.

"We want to get to the bottom of that... To make sure there is not continuing activity going on," he said.

Asked about assurances that North Korea has given in the past, and promises broken, Hadley said that "verification" of all that Pyongyang is now disclosing will be key to monitoring compliance with the nation's pledges.

"We're not resting on hope or faith," he said. "We're asking for disclosures."