07/02/28 09:00:32 VC8x+gCj
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Democratic lawmakers also pressed the officials on U.S. claims of a North Korean
program to produce highly enriched uranium that could be used to make nuclear bombs.
The National Intelligence Director's mission manager for North Korea, Joseph DeTrani,
said the United States continues to insist that North Korea declare all its nuclear
programs, including the uranium program.
"We have never walked away from that issue," DeTrani said, indicating confidence it
still exists.
Last week, however, the chief U.S. negotiator at the North Korean disarmament talks,
Christopher Hill, added a note of uncertainty to U.S. claims of a secret uranium
program.
Hill said such a program would "require a lot more equipment than we know that they
have actually purchased" and "production techniques that we are not sure whether they
have mastered."
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