"axis of evil"???

BBC reports, Attention is focused on North Korea amid reports the communist country could hand over a long-awaited declaration of its nuclear activities. The declaration, which is six months overdue, should contain full details of its nuclear program and facilities. I guess this is a good thing, hopefully we can get something positive out of it this time. North Korea has prevouisly committed to shut down their nuclear power in exchange for energy assistance, once in 2003 and 2005. Both time they back out of the deal.



During negotiations, the United States ultimately softened demands that North Korea admit to having a highly enriched uranium program and supplying Syria with nuclear technology, sticking points that had stalled the talks for months. U.S. officials said the final deal wasn't perfect but offered Washington its best chance to learn about North Korea's nuclear activities.

On Friday, North Korea is set to implode a cooling tower at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor. Nuclear experts have begun dismantling the plant's main reactor, but the destruction of the cooling tower is expected to be a powerful public symbol. And it is a step that would take North Korea more than a year to reverse, according to U.S. State Department officials. In a rare move, North Korea has invited international news organizations, including CNN, to witness the tower's destruction. I think it is interesting to see how the media covers this on friday and I also wonder if its coverage will be benefitial or damaging for North Korea. I think allowing reporters to witness the towers destruction is a good way for North Korea to use the media. We'll see.

Sen. John McCain, called North Korea's declaration "a modest step forward.""It is only a step covering one part of North Korea's nuclear activities. It is important to remember our goal has been the full, permanent and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. That must remain our goal," McCain said in a statement. "If we are unable to fully verify the declaration submitted today and if I am not satisfied with the verification mechanisms developed, I would not support the easing of sanctions on North Korea."


Sen. Barack Obama, also called the move "a step forward" and noted that "critical questions remain unanswered." He said sanctions should be lifted only if North Korea meets its obligations. "We should continue to pursue the kind of direct and aggressive diplomacy with North Korea that can yield results," he said in a statement. "The objective must be clear: the complete and verifiable elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons programs."

Careful comments from both candidates, neither candidates want to make a mistake on this one.

Rep. Howard Berman, D-California, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, welcomed the president's action but said important steps remained ahead.

The biggest significance of today's announcement is that North Korea is actually letting multiple foreign journalists into the country to give national information. Previously, the foreig press was tantalized with little "fun-facts" adding to the "secrecy" image of North Korea.

This is a bit out of the subject but I thought it was interesting. Is about one of CNN editors that traveled to North Korea in 2005. One of the things I found interesting in this article was that the former leader of North Korea Kim Il Sung, who died in 1994, had his body embalmed and lie in glass-covered coffin. This is on display in a museum in the North Korean Capital. According to the article the Russians whom have a similar situation in a museum in Moscow with former leader Vladimir Lenin, reportedly helped the North Koreans with the cosmetic aspects of their former leader.

This is the article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/06/19/nkorea.dougherty.notebook/index.html

NOW, in 2008, North Korea is giving the international press information about it's nuclear capabilities. Big step... but is just a tease?