Bank Poses Obstacle in North Korea Nuclear Talks

By DONALD GREENLEES
Published: March 26, 2007

HONG KONG, March 26 ― A largely foreign-owned North Korean bank has emerged as a major obstacle to a deal that would allow six-party negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear program to move forward.

The agreement between the United States and North Korea for the release of $25 million frozen for 18 months in accounts in a Macao bank has been rejected by the Daedong Credit Bank, the largest single account holder.

In two letters sent to the Monetary Authority of Macao, the bank, based in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, has said that it will take legal action if any of its frozen funds are moved in accordance with the agreement reached between American and North Korean nuclear disarmament negotiators.

Resolution of the issue has been a stumbling block to carrying out an agreement made on Feb. 13 that requires North Korea to shut down its nuclear programs in exchange for economic aid and diplomatic concessions.

The United States has tried to solve the impasse over the funds frozen in the Macao bank, Banco Delta Asia, by offering to have the money placed in an account in the Bank of China under the control of the North Korean government on the understanding that it would be spent on humanitarian purposes in North Korea.

A representative of the Daedong Credit Bank, which has about $7 million frozen in Banco Delta Asia, has told authorities in Macao, though, that it will not accept its funds being placed under the control of the North Korean government or being moved to the Bank of China.

Colin McAskill, who has agreed to buy Daedong Credit Bank and is representing the bank in its negotiations with the Macao authorities, warned the Monetary Authority of Macao in a letter last week that he would hold it “totally responsible” and would “take whatever steps necessary” if the Pyongyang bank’s funds were transferred without its consent.

Mr. McAskill has sought a meeting this week with the chairman of the monetary authority, Anselmo Teng, to discuss how the money should be disbursed. The monetary authority has said publicly that it would only transfer the frozen funds in accord with the wishes of the account holders, which include about 50 North Korea-linked entities and individuals.

The funds were frozen in September 2005 after the United States Treasury Department contended that they were the proceeds of illicit activities, including drug trafficking, counterfeit cigarette manufacturing and the sale of unconventional weapons. At the time, the Treasury Department said that Banco Delta Asia, a small, family-owned bank in the Chinese territory, was a primary money-laundering concern.

North Korean negotiators refused to participate in the last round of six-nation talks on nuclear disarmament in Beijing last week because of delays in the $25 million being transferred into the Chinese bank. American officials ascribed the delays to “technical banking issues.”

“Daedong’s money must be separated from the political arena,” Mr. McAskill said. “We wish to leave the money in Macao until we can make arrangements to transfer it to one of our normal correspondent banks.”

Mr. McAskill has also written the chief North Korean nuclear negotiator, Kim Kye Gwan, seeking a written commitment that the North Korean government has no claim over any of Daedong Credit Bank’s funds or assets.

Daedong contends that all $7 million it has frozen in Macao belongs to legitimate foreign businesses with joint ventures in North Korea.

A senior Treasury official, Daniel Glaser, deputy assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes, is now in Beijing trying to untangle the legal problems, The Associated Press reported from Beijing.
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Bank Poses Obstacle in North Korea Nuclear Talks - New York Times

米朝、送金問題で協議 ヒル氏「２、３日で解決する」

　北京の米大使館は２７日、マカオの銀行バンコ・デルタ・アジア（ＢＤＡ）で凍結されていた北朝鮮資金の送金問題をめぐり、米財務省代表団が２６日夜に北朝鮮側と協議したと発表した。また、６者協議の米首席代表、ヒル国務次官補はワシントンで２６日、送金問題が「２、３日で解決すると思う」と言及。休会中の６者協議が近く再開される可能性が出てきた。

　２６日の米朝協議の詳しい内容は明らかになっていないが、財務省によると、資金を北朝鮮の銀行が持つ口座に移す米朝合意を早急に実施する方策を話し合った。財務省は２７日、「できるだけ早く解決できるよう取り組んでいる」との声明を出した。

　一方、ヒル氏は２６日の講演で「銀行の問題が解決すれば、北朝鮮は国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）とさらに協議するだろう」と指摘。２月の６者協議合意で「初期段階の措置」の期限とされた６０日にあたる４月半ばまでに、北朝鮮が核施設の稼働停止、封印などを行うとの見通しを示した。

　ＢＤＡの資金をめぐっては、米朝は北朝鮮の銀行が中国銀行に持つ口座に移すことで合意。だが、資金洗浄の疑いがある資金が含まれていることから実際の送金ができず、６者協議は２２日、休会した。このため、１９日に北京で合意を発表して帰国していたグレーザー氏が急きょ再訪中。米代表団は２６日には中国銀行業監督管理委員会や中国人民銀行（中央銀行）などとも協議した。

asahi.com：米朝、送金問題で協議　ヒル氏「２、３日で解決する」?-?国際

偽ドル札の疑いで米捜査 北朝鮮の国連機関が保管

　【ニューヨーク２６日共同】偽造された疑いのある１００ドル札計３５００ドル（約４１万円）分が約１２年間、国連開発計画（ＵＮＤＰ）平壌事務所の金庫に保管されていたことが分かり、国連側から通報を受けた米当局が２６日までに捜査に乗り出した。ＵＮＤＰ報道官が同日、共同通信に語った。

　報道官によると、問題の紙幣は北朝鮮でＵＮＤＰ事業に携わったエジプト人コンサルタントが、小切手で受領後に北朝鮮で米ドル札に換金したコンサルタント料。コンサルタントはエジプトに帰国後、同国の銀行に入金しようとしたが拒まれたため、１９９５年に北朝鮮のＵＮＤＰ平壌事務所に送り返したという。

　報道官はエジプト人の現在の所在は「分からない」と述べた。この人物の身元や、北朝鮮にどのような方法で送金され、なぜ放置されたのかについても明らかにしなかった。
（2007年03月27日 11時58分）

偽ドル札の疑いで米捜査　北朝鮮の国連機関が保管 [CHUNICHI WEB PRESS]