U.S. wants RI to support KEDO<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The United States is calling for Indonesia's
\nparticipation in the newly-formed Korean Peninsula Energy
\nDevelopment Organization (KEDO) consortium, intended to supply
\nNorth Korea with \"safe\" reactors.<\/p>\n
U.S. Ambassador-at-Large Robert Gallucci said yesterday that
\nhe hoped Indonesia would support KEDO, both politically and
\neconomically.<\/p>\n
\"We would be very interested in an active Indonesian role,
\npolitically and substantially,\" Gallucci said.<\/p>\n
KEDO was formed by the U.S., South Korea and Japan on Thursday
\nto supply North Korea with two 1,000 megawatt Light Water
\nReactors (LWR) to replace the graphite-based reactors that
\nPyongyang is currently developing.<\/p>\n
North Korea's agreement to convert to LWRs, which produce less
\nweapons grade plutonium, has alleviated world fears that North
\nKorea was developing its nuclear capability.<\/p>\n
The establishment of KEDO follows a breakthrough agreement
\nbetween a U.S. delegation, headed by Gallucci, and North Korea in
\nGeneva last October.<\/p>\n
The U.S. agreed to supply North Korea with an alternative
\nenergy source, in the form of heavy oil, while the reactors are
\nbeing built. Pyongyang received the first shipment of 50,000 tons
\nof heavy oil from the U.S. in January.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is in a position to help with heavy fuel oil ...
\nand financially directly,\" Gallucci said from Washington during a
\nWorldnet Dialog with panelists from Seoul, Tokyo, Canberra and
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The project is expected to cost over $4 billion, with Seoul
\nproviding the bulk of the funds and Tokyo bearing about 30
\npercent.<\/p>\n
A row has erupted recently, with North Korea rejecting the
\nSouth Korean-made reactors about to be supplied.<\/p>\n
Pyongyang is questioning the quality of the South Korean
\nreactors, while Washington says North Korea has no alternative
\nbut to accept them.<\/p>\n
Prior to the establishment of KEDO, a preparatory conference
\ninvolving 20 countries was held in New York.<\/p>\n
The six members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN) -- Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia,
\nSingapore and Thailand -- took part in the conference.<\/p>\n
Gallucci said that after the conference the U.S. was \"hopeful
\nthat countries would conclude that it was in their interest to
\npolitically support the organization and then do so also
\nmaterially, and I would say that is certainly true of Indonesia.\"<\/p>\n
When asked about the notable absence of China, from both the
\npreparatory conference and from KEDO, Gallucci said Beijing had
\nbeen invited but had declined to attend. However, he stressed
\nthat Beijing fully supported the October agreement.<\/p>\n
\"They told us that they could support the agreed framework
\nbetter by remaining outside KEDO than by joining KEDO,\" Gallucci
\nexplained.(mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-wants-ri-to-support-kedo-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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