August 11, 2008	Monday	Sha’aban 8, 1429

BEIJING, Aug 10: The United States said on Sunday it was unlikely North Korea would be immediately taken off the US list of countries that sponsor terrorism.

US President George Bush began a process in June of taking North Korea off the blacklist, and said then it could happen in 45 days, which is Monday.

“At this point, I think, it is reasonable to say that tomorrow probably will come and go without that happening,” said Dennis Wilder, National Security Council senior director for Asian affairs, who is in Beijing with Bush.

Bush notified Congress of his intent to delist North Korea immediately after it gave a long-awaited declaration of the nuclear programmes it had spent decades developing.

However the United States had to be satisfied that the declaration was complete and true for the delisting to occur, and the verification process has not proceeded as quickly as US officials had originally indicated it would.

Amid the delays, Bush and other US officials involved in the long-running disarmament efforts began dousing expectations last month that the historic delisting would occur right on the 45-day timeframe.

“It just doesn't automatically happen,” Bush cautioned last week, saying North Korea must agree to a comprehensive verification protocol for its nuclear activities before it could be removed.

Speaking after Bush held talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday, Wilder made similar remarks.

“We need to have a strong verification regime before we can take action on removing the North Koreans from the state sponsors of terrorism list,” he said.

Wilder said the United States was not yet satisfied with what North Korea had presented so far, but said the discussions would continue.

China is another key player in the disarmament process because it is one of North Korea's closest allies.

China is also the host of the six-nation talks aimed at completely dismantling North Korea's nuclear programmes.

The verification process is being carried out through the six-nation process, which involve the two Koreas, China, the United States, Japan and Russia.—AFP