Clinton Blasts N. Korea in Anti-Nuke Speech

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday blasted North Korea and Iran for their nuclear programs, saying, “We will not tolerate any resistance to the nuclear nonproliferation regime, which has been the norm of the international society.”

She also suggested detailed measures to materialize U.S. President Barack Obama’s vision of "a world without nuclear weapons" in a speech titled “Reinvigorating the Nonproliferation Regime: a U.S.-led Diplomatic Campaign,” at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

“The U.S. will gradually strengthen its efforts to make a world without nuclear weapons while strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime and removing latent threats posed by nuclear terrorism,” she said.

“Regardless of its effort to eliminate nuclear weapons, the U.S. will strengthen its attempt to defend the homeland and keep its security promises to alliances. It should be remembered by all enemies.”

The State Department and media considered Clinton’s speech as expressing the fundamental principles of the foreign and national security policies of the Obama administration. First, she explained U.S. and Russian efforts to reduce nuclear weapons.

“The U.S. and Russia tentatively agreed on weapons inspection of the two nations, including Russia’s inspection of nuclear facilities in the U.S. while trying to create a new treaty to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty scheduled to expire Dec. 5. Other nuclear powers should also proactively participate in the efforts to reduce nuclear weapons,” she said.

Clinton also explained the State Department’s efforts to encourage senators to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The agreement will take effect 180 days after being ratified by 44 nations with nuclear reactors. Nine countries such as the U.S., China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea have neither signed nor ratified the treaty.

Ten years ago, U.S. senators were criticized for rejecting the treaty, which was signed by then President Bill Clinton.

Secretary Clinton said, “Efforts to reduce nuclear weapons and denuclearize will make the U.S. a more secure place, while contributing to the security and peace of the international society.”

She also stressed U.S. leadership of the world, a notion supported by Obama. U.S. diplomacy, or "smart diplomacy," strongly supports an engagement policy based on common interests, shared values and mutual respect, she added.

At her first major speech at the Council on Foreign Relations in July, Hillary Clinton said, “The two unavoidable facts defining international society today are the following: first, no nation can deal with the challenges faced by the international society alone: second, most nations share a common destiny and face common threats.”

triplets@donga.com