US, China to reward North Korea with fuel aid

The United States and China are preparing to provide tens of millions of dollars in fuel aid to North Korea as it moves to declare and disable its nuclear weapons program, US officials said Thursday.

The planned aid came as US news reports quoting intelligence sources suggested that North Korea could be helping Syria build a nuclear weapons program, raising concerns over Pyongyang’s proliferation record.


Under an aid-for-disarmament program, China was expected to send 50,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil to its hardline communist neighbor this month to be followed by a similar US shipment, a US administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

US President George W. Bush’s administration notified Congress on Tuesday “of its intent to provide 25 million dollars that would cover the third tranche shipment of 50,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil to North Korea,” the official told AFP.

AFP