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The U.S. and four other nations in six-party talks on Tuesday agreed to provide up to 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil worth W400 billion (US$1=W940) and economic support to North Korea if the Stalinist country disables its nuclear facilities. Chief negotiators from North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S. at a plenary meeting in Beijing reached accord over the implementation of a statement of principles signed by the countries in September 2005.
North Korea is to shut down nuclear facilities in Yongbyon within 60 days, which includes halting operation of the 5 mw nuclear reactor and canning spent fuel rods. The North also agreed to admit IAEA inspectors to conduct the necessary monitoring. In return, South Korea will initially provide 50,000 tons of heavy oil worth W20 billion, with the remaining 950,000 tons to be delivered depending on how far it goes on the road to disabling the facilities. Asked what that ¡°disabling¡± means, a South Korean government official said, "This goes a step further than halting the operation of nuclear facilities and involves processes all the way to -- but just one step away from -- completely dismantling them.
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North Korean nuclear envoy Kim Kye-gwan applauds after China's envoy Wu Dawei (not shown) reads the details of an agreement during the closing ceremony of the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program at Beijing¡¯s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Tuesday./Yonhap
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The six nations also agreed to share the cost of the rewards equally, although Japan still maintains that it can contribute only when the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the North is resolved. North Korea agreed to submit a complete list of its nuclear programs to the IAEA. The official said this will include the North's plutonium-based nuclear program facilities and the amount of plutonium extraction. The six nations agreed that matters regarding North Korea's existing nuclear weapons and a highly enriched uranium program the U.S. alleges it has are to be discussed later.
They also agreed to start negotiating the removal of North Korea from the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism and U.S. economic restrictions under the Trading with the Enemy Act.
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Press gather in front of Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, the venue of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, on Tuesday.
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The six nations will establish within the month five working groups to discuss issues including denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a security mechanism in Northeast Asia and the normalization of diplomatic ties between the U.S and North Korea as well as between Japan and the North.
The agreement prevents the North from producing more plutonium that can be used to make nuclear weapons. But since it does not include North Korea's existing nuclear arms, full denuclearization is still a long way away. It also remains to be seen whether North Korea will keep its word and declare its nuclear programs in full.
By Sung-Ho Youn
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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