1.   Although North Korea later acceded to the nuclear accord, Pentagon officials acknowledged that they have little insight as to who is actually running the country.

2.   But this seems unlikely without a nuclear accord.

3.   Celeste Wallender, a Russia scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said giving the nuclear accord treaty status is a victory for Putin.

4.   Despite the anxiety in Seoul, experts say the major obstacles to a nuclear accord have not yet been overcome.

5.   In return, Washington would agree to the Russian demand that both sides make especially deep cuts in long-range nuclear arms as part of a START III nuclear accord.

6.   Politically distracted as it is, the administration should redouble its efforts to win ratification of this important nuclear accord.

7.   Richardson arrived in North Korea early Saturday for a two-day visit to examine the human rights situation there and discuss the nuclear accord.

8.   The administration has urged Israel to sign the nuclear accord.

9.   The future of the nuclear accord was thrown into further peril last summer after intelligence reports about the existence of the underground site surfaced in news articles.

10.   The nuclear accord, which expires this year, is up for renewal at an international conference beginning in April.