N Korea nuke 'a matter of time'

2006-11-17 11:12

Tokyo - Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix has warned that North Korea would eventually perfect its nuclear weapons technology despite its apparently unsuccessful bomb test and warned the world must resist agreeing to quick disarmament deals based on dubious verification measures.

Blix said verification, a task that put him in the international spotlight ahead of the war in Iraq, would be the key to any nuclear accord with Pyongyang as the country returns to six-nation talks on its weapons programme.

But Blix said, "I have no illusion it will be easy."

Verification that North Korea has abandoned its nuclear program will be especially tough given the secretive nation's history of restricting access to vast swaths of the country, Blix said. North Korea has limited access even to UN officials distributing food aid, a sign that any military intrusion will less welcome.

Blix warned against the temptation to agree to a deal that doesn't guarantee full co-operation.

"Cosmetic inspection is worse than none because that can lull states into a confidence that is false, and you can have very unpleasant surprises" he said.

Blix, who butted heads with the Bush administration over whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction in the run-up to the war, said that most experts believe North Korea's atomic bomb test was only a partial success because of its apparent small size. But the world should not be "complacent about it," he said.

"If they didn't succeed this time, how much time will it take them before they perfect it?" he said.

Blix said the October 9 nuclear test was "enough as a demonstration."

North Korea agreed last month to return to six-nation talks with the United States, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia after Washington said it was willing to discuss its financial sanctions against the North.

The six-party talks are expected to start in December, though no date has been set.

- AP