NAPSNet Daily Report
 
wednesday, november 3, 1999
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CONTENTS

I. United States

II. Korea III. China
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I. United States


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1. Congressional Report on DPRK

Reuters (John Whitesides, "HOUSE REPUBLICANS BLAST U.S. POLICY ON NORTH KOREA," Washington, 11/03/99) reported that Republicans in the US House of Representatives released a report on Wednesday stating that the DPRK is continuing acquisition of uranium-enrichment technologies and conducting nuclear-related high explosive tests. Representative Floyd Spence of South Carolina, chairman of the Armed Services Committee and a member of the Republican advisory group that developed the report, stated, "The administration policy of appeasement and bribery with North Korea has not worked." House Republican leaders said they intend a complete review of the policy next year, using the report as a starting point. House Speaker Dennis Hastert said, "The findings of this report are disturbing, and the future trends are even more troubling," [Ed. note: The report is available at: ]


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2. Korean War Massacre

The US Department of Defense ("NOVEMBER 2 PRESS RELEASE ON NOKUEN-RI PANEL," 11/02/99) and reported that US Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has selected seven US citizens to provide advice on the conduct of the Nogunri review and on the US Army's report. The advisors are: retired Army General Robert W. Riscassi; Pete McCloskey, former Congressman from California and Korean War veteran; Professor Ernest May; Retired Marine Lieutenant General Bernard E. Trainor, Korean War veteran; Donald P. Gregg, former US Ambassador to Korea; Retired Army Colonel Young O. Kim, Korean War veteran; and Don Oberdorfer, journalist. These individuals will have an opportunity to consult with, and receive updates from, the Army and Senior Department of Defense officials as the review progresses and provide their thoughts and advice on the process.


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3. Congressional Legislation on Taiwan

Agence France Presse ("CHINA NOT ASSUAGED BY DELAY IN U.S. VOTE ON TAIWAN SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT," Washington, 11/03/99) reported that Lu Shuning, spokesman for the PRC embassy in the US, said on November 2 that the PRC would stay "on alert" in opposing the Republican-sponsored Taiwan Security Enhancement Act. Lu said, "We have noted the information that House Republicans have decided to delay the consideration of the act on the floor until next year, but still they have not done enough." He also stated, "if the United States restores its relations with Taiwan to the pre-1979 levels ... the basis for China-US relations will be greatly harmed."


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4. US Policy on CTBT

The Washington Times (Bill Gertz, "LOTT HITS CLINTON'S STANCE ON NUKE PACT," Washington, 11/03/99) reported that US Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott in a November 2 statement criticized the October 18 letter from Madeline K. Albright to foreign ministers in which she pledged that the US would adhere to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Lott said, "if the administration persists in maintaining that the United States is bound as a matter of international law to a treaty that has been rejected by the Senate, then there will be profound implications for the relationship between the president and the Senate on foreign policy matters." Lott also said that US President Bill Clinton can continue the ban on US nuclear-weapons tests and can follow the provisions of the anti-testing treaty only through "his constitutional authorities and not on any purported obligations under international law." Lott continued, "Those foreign ministers who received Secretary Albright's letter should be under no illusion on this point." Senator Jesse Helms added, "Article 18 of the Vienna Convention ... makes clear that the obligation of a signatory state terminates when the state 'shall have made its intention clear not to become a party to the treaty. Since the Senate is a co- equal [with the president in treaty-making] and the Senate has overwhelmingly vetoed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the intention to never become a party has been made crystal clear."


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5. Russian Missile Tests

Reuters (Peter Graff, "RUSSIA FIRES WARNING SHOT OVER ABM TREATY," Moscow, 11/03/99) reported that Russia's Interfax news agency on November 2 quoted Russia's Strategic Missile Forces as saying that it launched one of its short-range anti-missile rockets from a base in Kazakhstan. The forces' commander, Vladimir Yakovlev, said the launch could be seen as one of the possible "symmetrical and asymmetrical response measures," if the US quit the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty. Yakovlev said, "It is not clear who it would be worse for, if someone were to pull out of the 1972 ABM treaty." Yakovlev was quoted by Interfax as saying the latest test was a check of the anti-missile rocket's military readiness and meant its working life could be extended. Also on November 2, Russian President Boris Yeltsin sent US President Bill Clinton a warning of "extremely dangerous consequences" if the US proceeded with its anti- missile plans.


II. Korea


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1. DPRK- Japan Relations

The Korea Herald (Shin Yong-bae, "JAPAN SEEKS TO THAW FROZEN RELATIONS WITH NORTH KOREA BY RESUMING FLIGHTS," Seoul, 11/03/99) and the Korea Times (Son Key-young, "JAPAN RESUMES CHARTER FLIGHTS TO NK," Seoul, 11/02/99) reported that, according to General Director of the Asia- Pacific Affairs Bureau at the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Cho Jung-pyo, Japan announced on November 2 that it will resume charter flights to the DPRK. However, Japan will maintain other sanctions such as the suspension of humanitarian aid and negotiations for diplomatic normalization. Cho stated, "This step was taken as part of the implementation of the (US-DPRK policy coordinator William) Perry process. The resumption of charter flights was also discussed in the recent Korea- Japan ministerial meeting." Cho added that the ROK supports Japan's active steps toward improving its ties with the DPRK regime under the principle of engagement. ROK Foreign Minister Hong Soon-young also welcomed Japan's decision and stated, "Japan reciprocated the North's big step (of declaring a moratorium on missile test-firing). It will be a good signal to North Korea." Meanwhile, Cho also said that the DPRK and Japan are launching negotiations over the proposed visit to the DPRK by a Japanese parliamentary delegation, led by former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama. According Cho, the Murayama delegation is requesting an audience with DPRK leader Kim Jong-il, however the DPRK has not shown any definite reaction, delaying the team's visit.


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2. Illegal US Exports to DPRK

Joongang Ilbo ("AMERICAN SENTENCED FOR EXPORTING SPEEDBOATS TO NK," Seoul, 11/02/99) reported that Shea-Kei Mak, a naturalized US citizen from the PRC living in New York, was sentenced on Monday to three-and-a- half years in prison by a US court for exporting seven boats made by Fountain Powerboat Industries Incorporated of Washington, North Carolina, to the DPRK in violation of the Trading with the Enemy Act. Mak was also fined US$75,000. Mak was convicted in a federal court in April of the charge following a trial in which he represented himself. According to the testimonies during the trial, the boats, sleek craft that can reach speeds of up to 160 mph, ended up in a military compound in the DPRK. However, Mak argued that he believed the boats were headed to the PRC.


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3. DPRK Circus Troupe's Visit to ROK

The Korea Herald (Kim Ji-ho Staff, "N.K. CIRCUS TROUPE'S TOUR TO SEOUL HITS SNAG OVER INTERAGENCY DISPUTE," Seoul, 11/03/99) reported that, according to officials at Keymyung Productions, the ROK organizer of the DPRK's Pyongyang Circus Troupe's visit to the ROK, the plan to invite the Troupe is in limbo due to interference by rival business organs in both Koreas. According to Kim Sung-nam, spokesman for the ROK organizing committee, the DPRK authorities have hesitated to allow ROK organizers to visit the DPRK for working-level consultations. Kim stated, "Although we have temporarily rescheduled the event to December 1-31, we still need to have more talks to prepare for it." Kim attributed the delay mainly to conflicts between the DPRK agencies responsible for business with the ROK as well as rivalry among ROK firms seeking to take the lead in inter- Korean business. Chosun Art Exchange Association, the DPRK organizer of the event, is affiliated with the DPRK's Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee (KAPPC), which is in charge of all joint business with the ROK. Kim said, "The KAPPC usually demands excessively high prices for inter- Korean businesses, and appears to be intervening into it, thinking the circus tour is being negotiated at too low a price." An unnamed Unification Ministry official added, "There appears to be some discord among North Korean agencies." The official also noted that different DPRK agencies might compete to bid up the contract prices to win the favor of DPRK leaders.


III. China


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1. PRC-US Relations

China Daily (Xu Yang, "COMMUNICATION HELPS SMOOTH SINO-US RELATIONS," 11/03/99, A1) reported that Zeng Jianhui just concluded a tour of the US as the head of the first National People's Congress (NPC) delegation to visit the country in 10 years. Zeng and eight other top Chinese legislators were invited by the House US-China Inter-Parliamentary Exchange Group to visit the country to promote further dialogue between legislatures to smooth the way for improvement and development of Sino-US relations. Zeng stated, "Although our opinions differ in many ways, our talks were friendly, constructive and frank. Each side aired its views. And I was surprised to find that our American colleagues had never heard many of our views." Zeng said that the NPC also extended invitations to the US Senate to send a delegation to the PRC in its efforts to establish a normal channel of communication.

People's Daily ("CHINA VOICES STRONG INDIGNATION AGAINST TAIWAN SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT," Beijing, 10/29/99, A4) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said at a briefing on October 28 that the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act seriously violates the three Sino-US Joint Communiques, encroaches upon the PRC's sovereignty, and grossly interferes in the PRC's internal affairs. Zhang said that a number of US congressmen have attempted to provide a so-called legal basis for supplying Taiwan with sophisticated weapons and establishing and expanding direct links between the US and Taiwanese armed forces, thus obstructing the PRC's reunification. She also said, "the attempt poses a serious threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and in the Asia- Pacific region as well as the Sino-US relations." Zhang added that the PRC recognizes the US opposition to the act but "China insists that the US congressmen stop their erroneous action of interfering in China's internal affairs by making use of the Taiwan issue. Zhang also demanded that "the US Government honor the three Sino-US Joint Communiques, realize the harm brought about by the act and take effective measures to prevent it from becoming law so as to avoid harm to Sino-US relations."

People's Daily (Hu Xiaoming, "OFFICIAL: US ACT ON TAIWAN TO CAUSE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES," Washington, 10/30/99, A3) reported that the minister of the PRC Embassy in the US Liu Xiaoming said in a speech at the University of Maryland on October 28 that the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, currently under deliberation in the US Congress, will bring grave damages to the PRC-US relations, to regional security, and to the fundamental interests of the US. Liu also said that the Taiwan issue is a core issue in Sino-US relations and if the act were passed, serious consequences would result.


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2. Across Taiwan Straits Relations

China Daily (Jia Hepeng, "EXPERTS EXCHANGE EARTHQUAKE EXPERTISE," 11/02/99, A1) reported that Professor Frank C. Weng of Taiwan's National Chiao Tung University said on November 1 at a seminar at the Beijing- based Center for Across the Straits Earthquake Science and Technology Exchange that talks between Taiwan seismologists and their mainland counterparts could offset Taiwan's shortages in earthquake prevention and post-quake reconstruction. Weng and other experts urged that there be more exchanges between seismological institutions on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. Elmer H. Fung, a lawmaker in Taiwan, and Chairman of Taiwan New Party Lee Ching-hua believe that seismological exchanges are an opportunity to promote understanding across the Straits. The Director of the Office of Taiwan Affairs of the State Council, Chen Yunlin, also met all members of the team on November 1. Chen told the mission members that some Taiwanese have misunderstood the PRC's intentions after the earthquake, but he believes the misunderstanding will be cleared up in time.


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3. PRC-Japanese Relations

China Daily ("JAPANESE GROUP TO VISIT CHINA," 10/29/99, A5) reported that the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) non-governmental evaluation group would visit China from October 31 to November 7 to chart the progress of the Japanese Government's ODA programs in China. Some Japanese people have doubted the effectiveness of the ODA programs in the countries receiving aid, the report said. The group will also visit five other countries including Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, the report said.


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4. PRC Nuclear Industry

Business Weekly ("SINO-RUSSIA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WORK BEGINS," Lianyungang, 10/31- 11/6/99, A7) reported that the Tianwan Nuclear Power Station located in Lianyungang, a coastal city in East China's Jiangsu Province, will meet world-level safety stands. Ouyang Yu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that a group of PRC nuclear safety experts announced their conclusions after a recent examination of the station. The report said that the new station was designed in accordance with the latest International Atomic Energy Agency safety regulations. Referring to the recent nuclear accident in Japan, Wang said that the PRC should not have to endure such an occurrence because it has laid a firm foundation for nuclear research and has established a strict technological management system. The report also said that a team of Russian experts is stationed in Lianyungang to provide technical guidance, while a group of Chinese nuclear specialists has been sent to Russia to supervise the manufacturing of equipment.


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