QKen, what about these satellite pictures of the North Korean launch site, which appear to show pretty primitive conditions there, including no rails to move missiles? John Pike called it, I believe, the "mouse that roared." But have you all got any comment on that?
MR. BACON: Well, the mouse has not only roared, it's fired a missile. And we know that; it's undeniable. The missile was fired over Japan. It created quite a stir.
We have always known that North Korea has primitive facilities, that it is far behind us technologically, but that it devotes an enormous amount of money, energy and manpower to developing weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them.
It is, more than anything else, a military state that has constantly favored providing for its military over providing for its people. So it's not surprising that their facilities are primitive by our standards. But it's also not surprising that, given the dedication and money they have devoted to upgrading their military, that they have been able to produce long-range missiles and to fire them from such primitive spots.
So I am not sure that the fact that the launch facility is primitive makes the missiles any less threatening, which is precisely why the United States has worked so hard, first through the Framework Agreement, and secondly through the Perry process, to limit or restrict the North Korean weapons-of-mass-destruction program.
And that work is continuing. I think it's been successful. And I think that we will continue to strive for success to prevent them from developing nuclear weapons and to prevent them from testing new ways to develop the chemical weapons that they already have.
QTo follow on the subject of North Korea: Have -- (inaudible) -- talks been reset on resuming joint searches for remains? The last talks failed, the talks in -- I believe they were in Berlin -- ended in no agreement to resume. Have new talks been set?
MR. BACON: The watchword in dealing with the North Koreans is "patience," and we do have another set of talks with them in Berlin.
I don't know the exact date. I think it is the middle of this month, I believe. I recall reading that there should be a new set of talks, but I'll check on the date.
QAre those the talks on overall improvement in relations on --
MR. BACON: Yes.
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