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Journalism of Courage
The US is seeking an international alliance to block exports of weapons of mass destruction and missiles by North Korea and Iran, the Asahi Shimbun reported today.
The report follows allegations that the US may scuttle an international project to build light-water reactors in North Korea, a deal contingent to the country’s adherence to a pact freezing its nuclear arms programme. A US administration official said Washington would help establish a ‘‘voluntary alliance’’ of countries that would boost inspections of ships and aircraft against the hardware shipments, the paper said.
Leaders of the 11-country bloc are the US, Japan and Australia, which met in Madrid on June 12 to plot strategies to thwart the spread of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons and missile components, the paper quoted an unidentified official as saying.
Meanwhile, North Korean Foreign Minister Paeknam-Sun has written to the UN Security Council urging it to reject discussion on the Stalinist country’s nuclear weapons drive.
