I could hardly believe my eyes when I read this report. Now even former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix believes that North Korea seeks to perfect a nuclear bomb.
Blix warned the world not to strike a quick disarmament deal that doesn’t have appropriate verification measures in place, saying “cosmetic inspection is worse than none because that can lull states into a confidence that is false, and you can have very unpleasant surprises”. And here I thought that Mr. Blix was fine was the cosmetic inspections Saddam gave him of the Iraqi facilities throughout 2002.
Regarding last month’s atomic test by North Korea, Blix noted that most experts believe it was only partially successful, but warned the world against being complacent. “If they didn’t succeed this time, how much time will it take them before they perfect it?” he said.
I’ve never held Blix in high esteem. He seemed to me the stereotypical UN diplomat: all talk and no action. Blix struck me as a naive man who always assumes best intentions rather than waking up to smell the music. Remember, before the Iraq disarmament crisis of 2002, Hans Blix visited the Iraqi nuclear reactor Osiraq numerous times during the 70s, before its destruction by the Israeli Air Force in 1981, and failed to discover that Saddam was researching nuclear weapons at that very site - a fact widely believed at the time and extensively confirmed since.
Nevertheless, his image as a dove is precisely what makes this message carry such weight. We know that Blix wouldn’t be making a fuss unless he was genuinely worried. Even though Blix is no longer the head of the UN Monitorying, Verification and Ispection Committee, he is still held in high regard, especially in the European Union. His statements strengthen the U.S. position on North Korea.
Just after Blix’ comments, President Bush spoke about North Korea at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. “It’s important for the world to see that the Security Council resolutions which were passed are implemented” against North Korea, Bush said. “So part of my discussions will be how we fully implement those sanctions that the world has asked for”.
Check this space over the space of the next few days for in-depth analyses of the North Korean nuclear issue and what the world should do about it.
- Tags:blix, bush, kim jong il, north korea, nuclear wmd
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