ID :
12267
Fri, 07/11/2008 - 22:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/12267
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6 nations agree on principles for verifying N. Korea nuke declaration
BEIJING, July 11 Kyodo - Chief nuclear negotiators from six countries agreed Friday in Beijing on the principles of creating a mechanism to verify North Korea's declaration of its nuclear programs, Japanese delegate Akitaka Saiki said.
But wide differences remain on the method of verification, South Korea's top envoy Kim Sook told reporters separately after the second day of the six-party heads of delegation talks in Beijing.
Saiki, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, said the details of the mechanism were being discussed by a six-party working group on denuclearization methods.
The principles of verification discussed by the envoys Thursday are access to North Korea's nuclear facilities and additional documents on Pyongyang's nuclear programs as well as interviews with people related to the nuclear plans.
The envoys from North and South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia gathered at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for negotiations ultimately aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
The working group tasked with discussing denuclearization methods as well as another group on economic and energy aid for North Korea in exchange for its denuclearization steps also met separately Friday.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the six countries were able to attain ''concrete shared recognition'' in terms of verifying North Korea's declaration of nuclear programs and economic and energy aid to Pyongyang, but did not elaborate.
A Japanese official said the six parties agreed to set October as a target for completing North Korea's nuclear disablement as well as the other countries'provision of economic and energy aid to Pyongyang in exchange.
Under a six-party deal agreed in February 2007, North Korea was promised an equivalent of 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil in exchange for shutting down and disabling its key Yongbyon nuclear complex as well as disclosing its nuclear programs.
Roughly half of the 1 million tons is to be given in the form of heavy fuel oil, while the other half is to be given in the form of equipment.
The assistance has been provided to North Korea by China, Russia, South Korea and the United States. Japan has refused to participate, saying it will not do so until progress is made in resolving a dispute with North Korea over the abduction of Japanese nationals by Pyongyang's agents in the 1970s and 1980s.
Saiki said he reiterated Japan's position in Friday's talks and explained that his country is ready to join others in providing the aid as soon as progress is seen on the abduction issue.
The other delegates expressed hope that Japan will be able to take part in the assistance provision at an early date, the Japanese diplomat said.
But South Korea's Kim, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs of the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry, told reporters Friday evening that he is not satisfied with Japan not taking part in the aid scheme.
North Korea has complained about a delay in the delivery of the energy assistance and has slowed down the pace of disablement steps at Yongbyon.
The remaining heavy fuel oil shipments total about 150,000 tons.
North Korea submitted a long-delayed list of its nuclear programs late last month, ending a stalemate stemming from a dispute over what should be included in the document.
The specific contents of the declaration -- including how many kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium Pyongyang has produced -- have yet to be made public.
In response to the submission of the list, the United States announced it was taking steps to remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and was lifting application of the Trading with the Enemy Act, both long-standing demands of Pyongyang.
Subsequently, on June 27, Pyongyang blew up a cooling tower attached to its Yongbyon nuclear reactor in a symbolic move aimed at underscoring its commitment to a six-way denuclearization deal.
But wide differences remain on the method of verification, South Korea's top envoy Kim Sook told reporters separately after the second day of the six-party heads of delegation talks in Beijing.
Saiki, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, said the details of the mechanism were being discussed by a six-party working group on denuclearization methods.
The principles of verification discussed by the envoys Thursday are access to North Korea's nuclear facilities and additional documents on Pyongyang's nuclear programs as well as interviews with people related to the nuclear plans.
The envoys from North and South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia gathered at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for negotiations ultimately aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
The working group tasked with discussing denuclearization methods as well as another group on economic and energy aid for North Korea in exchange for its denuclearization steps also met separately Friday.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the six countries were able to attain ''concrete shared recognition'' in terms of verifying North Korea's declaration of nuclear programs and economic and energy aid to Pyongyang, but did not elaborate.
A Japanese official said the six parties agreed to set October as a target for completing North Korea's nuclear disablement as well as the other countries'provision of economic and energy aid to Pyongyang in exchange.
Under a six-party deal agreed in February 2007, North Korea was promised an equivalent of 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil in exchange for shutting down and disabling its key Yongbyon nuclear complex as well as disclosing its nuclear programs.
Roughly half of the 1 million tons is to be given in the form of heavy fuel oil, while the other half is to be given in the form of equipment.
The assistance has been provided to North Korea by China, Russia, South Korea and the United States. Japan has refused to participate, saying it will not do so until progress is made in resolving a dispute with North Korea over the abduction of Japanese nationals by Pyongyang's agents in the 1970s and 1980s.
Saiki said he reiterated Japan's position in Friday's talks and explained that his country is ready to join others in providing the aid as soon as progress is seen on the abduction issue.
The other delegates expressed hope that Japan will be able to take part in the assistance provision at an early date, the Japanese diplomat said.
But South Korea's Kim, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs of the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry, told reporters Friday evening that he is not satisfied with Japan not taking part in the aid scheme.
North Korea has complained about a delay in the delivery of the energy assistance and has slowed down the pace of disablement steps at Yongbyon.
The remaining heavy fuel oil shipments total about 150,000 tons.
North Korea submitted a long-delayed list of its nuclear programs late last month, ending a stalemate stemming from a dispute over what should be included in the document.
The specific contents of the declaration -- including how many kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium Pyongyang has produced -- have yet to be made public.
In response to the submission of the list, the United States announced it was taking steps to remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and was lifting application of the Trading with the Enemy Act, both long-standing demands of Pyongyang.
Subsequently, on June 27, Pyongyang blew up a cooling tower attached to its Yongbyon nuclear reactor in a symbolic move aimed at underscoring its commitment to a six-way denuclearization deal.
