BEIJING - Macau authorities are prepared to unblock frozen North Korean funds, a US Treasury Department statement said Tuesday, possibly paving the way to a breakthrough in an agreement disarming Pyongyang's nuclear program.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson seen in Washington in this March 28, 2007 file photo. New Mexico Gov. Richardson, leading a US delegation on a visit to North Korea, said he believed Pyongyang was ready to end its nuclear weapons program and improve relations with the United States, NBC Nightly News reported on Sunday. [Reuters]
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North Korea has refused to move forward on a February agreement to close its main nuclear reactor in return for economic aid and political concessions until the funds were released. Macau authorities froze them after the US blacklisted a bank in 2005 for allegedly helping Pyongyang launder money.
"The United States understands that the Macau authorities are prepared to unblock all North Korean-related accounts currently frozen in Banco Delta Asia," the statement said. "The United States would support a decision by the Macau authorities to unblock the accounts in question."
