IAEA Chief leaves for DPRK to realize atom pact

Source: Xinhuanet | 03-12-2007 09:12

VIENNA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Head of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei left for the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday to discuss and finalize the details of the agreement, which was made at six-nation talks last month in Beijing, to dismantle Yongbyon nuclear facility.

Before his departure, ElBaradei told reporters that his visit was only "a first step in a long journey" toward nuclear disarmament of the Korean peninsula, and he also looked forward "to establishing a new framework for cooperation."

Although ElBaradei did not mention who he planned to meet in Pyongyang, he said they would "discuss the broad framework of how to implement the new agreement which foresees that the agency will monitor and verify the freeze of the Yongbyon nuclear facility including the reprocessing facility."

Furthermore, ElBaradei also added UN nuclear inspectors had not been allowed to visit DPRK since December 2002 and his visit this time is expected to broker a return of inspectors to this country.

DPRK expelled IAEA nuclear inspectors in December 2002, and subsequently in January 2003, the country publicly withdrew from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

During last month's six-nation talks in Beijing, DPRK agreed to give up its nuclear weapons program and to shut down its Yongbyon reactor by mid-April.

Soon after the talks in Beijing, the UN nuclear chief said on Feb. 23 that DPRK had invited him to visit within the next few weeks for talks on its nuclear program.

Editor:Du Xiaodan