Photo:
|
 |
North Korea Chooses Russia to Hold Its Money
North Korea has asked authorities in Macao to transfer the funds in its frozen accounts in Banco Delta Asia to financial organizations in Russia and Italy. This was announced by Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei to the Japanese delegation in Beijing. According to unofficial information, Banco Delta Asia is preparing for the transfers.
North Korea used the frozen accounts as justification for delaying the shutdown of its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, saying the United States was refusing to release the $25 million in its Banco Delta Asia accounts. The U.S. cited “technical complications” for the delay in releasing the funds.
Under an agreement reached on February 13 of this year in six-party negotiations in Beijing, North Korea was obliged to close down the nuclear complex at Yongbyon within two months and allow international inspectors in to it. In exchange for giving up its nuclear program, Pyongyang was promised economic aid. South Korea, China, the U.S. and Russia were to provide 50,000 tons of diesel fuel or the economic or humanitarian equivalent. North Korea would receive 950,000 tons of oil or the economic equivalent if it closed down all of its nuclear facilities and provided a complete description of its nuclear program and data on its plutonium reserves.
www.kommersant.com
|
|
|
