Who Pays?

According to the recently-released "breakthrough" agreement with North Korea coming out of the six-party talks and secret one-on-one talks with the United States in Berlin, the five other parties will arrange for energy assistance to North Korea, with 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil to come within 60 days. This is part of an exchange for nuclear suspension or denuclearization, depending on who you talk to.

One very good question is, who will pay for and provide these 50,000 tons of oil?

It isn't Japan, who says it will not provide energy aid to North Korea until North Korea resolves the issue of 13 or more Japanese abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s. This issue will certainly not be completed soon enough for the Japanese to provide this aid within 60 days.

By March 19, the working group of the six parties on the energy assistance provisions of the agreement are supposed to resolve how the emergency energy aid will be provided. We'll know then if the United States, China, Russia, or South Korea will pay -- it certainly won't be Japan.