N. Korea talks left out details

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North Korea's recent discussions with the United States about a required declaration under the six-nation nuclear talks omitted key data on Pyongyang's current nuclear arsenal and its covert uranium enrichment program, U.S. officials say.

The failure to provide the information in a formal declaration, combined with North Korea's Jan. 4 public statement asserting it already made the declaration, left the four years of talks frozen amid newly disclosed intelligence showing North Korea at one time had equipment with traces of 90 percent enriched uranium, said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

One official said North Korea some time ago provided the U.S. government with a sample of a specialty metal supposedly melted down from tubes the North Koreans claim were meant for non-nuclear purposes. Pyongyang had hoped the sample would dispel suspicions about the covert uranium enrichment program that North Korean officials have at different times both admitted and denied having.

Instead, ultrasensitive detectors found traces of the highly enriched uranium. "The North Koreans thought we would not be able to detect the traces," the official said.

A second official declined to comment on the uranium traces found on the sample, first reported in The Washington Post last month, because it involves sensitive intelligence.

However, this official, who has detailed knowledge of Asian affairs, said there is no change in the high level of confidence among U.S. intelligence agencies that North Korea sought to develop a enriched uranium for weapons at least since 2002. A slowdown in procurement activity led to change in the confidence level in 2006, but major concerns about the program remain.

"Uranium enrichment is a critical issue with North Korea," this official said. "Their efforts to acquire the fuel, the infrastructure necessary to enrich uranium has always been a critical issue in our discussions in the six-party talks, and it's still there. That's why with the declaration one would hope they'll be forthcoming on this issue."

Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill, the lead U.S. negotiator, recently spoke to a North Korean official about the declaration, and Mr. Hill thought the discussion was about what North Korea planned to put in a formal declaration due by Dec. 31.

But on Jan. 4 a North Korean government spokesman announced that the declaration was made. The U.S. official said that if it was the declaration, it is "very deficient" and lacked details of both the current North Korean nuclear weapons arsenal and the covert uranium enrichment program.

"It wasn't comprehensive by any means, and they were told so, and we said 'this is what we're looking for in the declaration; you need to be forthcoming on these points,' " said the official, describing what was disclosed as "totally off the mark."

The North Koreans were asked to "rework" the issue and come back with a comprehensive statement, the official said.

On uranium enrichment, "no, they have not admitted to any procurement that speaks to any intent to enrich uranium," the official said. "They have continued to deny making any acquisitions" for "acquiring the capability to enrich uranium."

The lack of detail on current nuclear arms was a surprise to U.S. officials because North Korea tested a nuclear device, with partial success, in October 2006. The official said there are no "indicators that they are planning any additional tests."