Sen. Obama's Statement on North Korea's proliferation of nuclear technology to Syria

Chicago, IL | April 25, 2008

"I am deeply disturbed by the evidence of North Korea's assistance to an illicit nuclear program in Syria. This represents a dangerous and completely unacceptable development. Unfortunately, it comes after nearly eight years of a failed policy that has been long on tough talk and short on results, as North Korea has withdrawn from the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty, quadrupled its stockpile of plutonium, resumed testing of long range missiles, detonated a nuclear weapon, and exported nuclear technology to Syria. It's time for aggressive diplomacy that verifiably ends North Korea's nuclear programs and accounts for all its proliferation activities. Until we are able to confirm that North Korea is no longer in the nuclear proliferation business, the United States should not lift sanctions on Pyongyang. When I am President, we will turn the page on yet another failed Bush policy with direct and tough diplomacy as part of the multilateral talks to hold North Korea accountable."