Statement by Senator Clinton on Recent Developments Regarding North Korea

The Bush Administration's refusal to meet or negotiate seriously with North Korea in its first five years has been enormously costly to our national security. During those years, it is estimated the North produced enough plutonium for up to ten nuclear bombs. It conducted its first nuclear test. It has continued its proliferation activities, including as we have learned in recent press reports, helping Syria build a nuclear reactor.

We must remain vigilant about Syria. The nature of its nuclear cooperation with North Korea strongly suggests an intention to acquire nuclear weapons. That is unacceptable, and the United States must work closely with the IAEA, countries of the Middle East, and others in the international community to make sure that never happens. <>North Korea's nuclear weapons program must be terminated. The Bush administration's efforts were not only late in starting they are still incomplete. A much better and more robust agreement was available at the beginning of President Bush's term. Nevertheless, that is not a reason to withdraw support for the ongoing negotiations. Pyongyang must make a full and accurate accounting of its nuclear activities, and the Bush administration must push much harder for them to do so in a verifiable manner.

At the end of the day, North Korea has to establish a credible track record that can only come through the voluntary declaration of all its nuclear activities. As President, I will work with the members of the six-party talks to ensure that Pyongyang fulfills its commitment to completely and verifiably eliminate its nuclear weapon programs, and stop proliferation. These will be prerequisites for normalized relations with the United States.