U.S. at ‘Critical Point’ With N. Korea, Christopher Says

Secretary of State Warren Christopher said Tuesday that the Clinton Administration’s diplomacy “has now reached a critical point” in its effort to thwart North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

“We’ve made it clear to North Korea that it must become a responsible member of the international community or that community will have no choice but to pursue other options,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “These other options include progressively stronger measures.

“Our commitment to South Korea’s security remains firm,” he added. “We’re prepared to take all necessary steps to ensure that the north does not misread our determination to deter aggression.”

But Christopher did not spell out actions the Administration might take beyond three steps already announced: a succession of increasingly tough U.N. Security Council resolutions, resumption of U.S.-South Korea military maneuvers and shipment of Patriot missile-defense systems to South Korea. And U.S. officials said it may be weeks before any of those actions begins to bite.

At the United Nations, the United States and its allies were preparing a Security Council resolution urging North Korea to permit international inspection of its nuclear facilities. That measure is not expected to come to a vote before next week. The Pyongyang government will then be given an unspecified period of time to comply before the council considers a follow-up resolution imposing economic sanctions.

The Patriot missile systems are already on their way to South Korea. But the Pentagon is sending them by sea, meaning that they will not arrive for at least a month. And the “Team Spirit” joint military maneuvers are unlikely to start before the fall.

In Pyongyang, North Korea’s official news agency described the military measures as “provocative steps . . . and a declaration of war,” the Associated Press reported.

Although Christopher predicted Sunday that China would not use its Security Council veto to block economic sanctions against its North Korean ally, State Department spokesman Mike McCurry conceded Tuesday that China’s vote is far from certain.

In Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Peng said his government opposes economic sanctions. “China is not in favor of applying pressure,” Li said. “If pressure is applied on this issue, that can only complicate the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and it will add to the tension there.”