US expects N Korea to disable nuclear programme in Sept
The US expects a multilateral agreement with N Korea to be sealed in September by the end of 2007.
By Agencies |
WASHINGTON: The United States has said it expected a multilateral agreement with North Korea to be sealed in September requiring Pyongyang to declare and disable its nuclear weapons programme by the end of 2007.
Despite some delay in working out the technical details, the pact could be clinched at six-party talks among envoys early next month, Assistant US Secretary of State Christopher Hill said on Wednesday.
"We are really going to try to get to this in early September so that we can then have an agreement on the implementation of the next phase, which is disablement and declaration on the part of the North Koreans," said Hill, the chief US envoy to the talks.
"So, we will try to set that up in the next six-party meeting and then begin implementing it in the fall with the hope that we can get through this by the end of calendar year '07," he said.
North Korea has already shut down a key nuclear reactor at Yongbyon under a a six-party agreement reached on February 13 among the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia.
Under the deal, North Korea agreed to dismantle its nuclear programme in return for aid and security and diplomatic guarantees, especially normalising ties with the US.
The reactor shutdown was rewarded with 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil from South Korea. If the North declares and permanently disables all its nuclear facilities, it will receive another 950,000 tons of oil or equivalent aid as well as the diplomatic deals.
Despite some delay in working out the technical details, the pact could be clinched at six-party talks among envoys early next month, Assistant US Secretary of State Christopher Hill said on Wednesday.
"We are really going to try to get to this in early September so that we can then have an agreement on the implementation of the next phase, which is disablement and declaration on the part of the North Koreans," said Hill, the chief US envoy to the talks.
"So, we will try to set that up in the next six-party meeting and then begin implementing it in the fall with the hope that we can get through this by the end of calendar year '07," he said.
North Korea has already shut down a key nuclear reactor at Yongbyon under a a six-party agreement reached on February 13 among the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia.
Under the deal, North Korea agreed to dismantle its nuclear programme in return for aid and security and diplomatic guarantees, especially normalising ties with the US.
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The reactor shutdown was rewarded with 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil from South Korea. If the North declares and permanently disables all its nuclear facilities, it will receive another 950,000 tons of oil or equivalent aid as well as the diplomatic deals.
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