North Korea today handed over what had been closely held documents detailing its nuclear programs and the amount of weapons-grade plutonium it has produced.
Within an hour of the release, President George W. Bush, in an early morning news conference, said that he would move to lift some trade sanctions against North Korea and take the country — which he once scorned as part of the "Axis of Evil" — off the list of countries that support "terror."
It was a remarkable development, for two governments that have openly loathed each other and for years refused even to hold direct talks.
While today's diplomatic exchange was a milestone in de-nuclearizing the austere North Korean regime, Bush made clear that lifting sanctions and taking North Korea off its terror list was dependent on the country continuing to comply with Western demands over the next 45 days.
"We will trust you only to the extent you fulfill your promises," Bush said in his White House Rose Garden appearance. "I'm pleased with the progress. I'm under no illusions. This is the first step. This isn't the end of the process. It is the beginning of the process."
As part of North Korea's effort to demonstrate its cooperation, the country on Friday will blow up the cooling tower to its Yongbyon nuclear plant, where it had been manufacturing plutonium.
North Korea invited a small group of news organizations from around the world to witness the destruction. ABC News was the only American broadcast news organization allowed into the country today.
Destruction of the cooling tower is largely symbolic because the plant is already being disabled under the eyes of American monitors. But it is a high-profile way for North Korea to show the world it is complying with the agreement.
While the transfer of documents made headlines throughout the West today, North Korea did not mention it on its evening newscast. And North Korea's Foreign Ministry aides, who are attached to each news organization, were unaware of what happened until they were informed by the foreign reporters.
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