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N Korea wants nuclear seals off | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
North Korea has asked the UN nuclear watchdog to remove its seals from a key atomic facility, the organisation says. | North Korea has asked the UN nuclear watchdog to remove its seals from a key atomic facility, the organisation says. |
Pyongyang said earlier it would restart the Yongbyon plant amid disputes over a disarmament-for-aid deal. | |
North Korea said Washington had not taken it off a list of state sponsors of terrorism, as promised. | North Korea said Washington had not taken it off a list of state sponsors of terrorism, as promised. |
US President George W Bush "expressed his concern" to China's Hu Jintao and the leaders agreed to work to convince Pyongyang to resume denuclearisation. | |
"The two presidents agreed that they would work hard to convince the North to continue down the path established in the six-party talks," a White House spokesman said. | |
The main cooling tower at Yongbyon was blown up earlier this year Q&A: N Korea nuclear dealTimeline: N Korea stand-off Pyongyang was expecting to be removed from the US terror list after submitting a long-delayed account of its nuclear facilities to the six-party talks in June, in accordance with the disarmament deal it signed in 2007. | |
It also blew up the main cooling tower at Yongbyon in a symbolic gesture of its commitment to the process. | |
But the North now says it no longer wants US incentives and will push ahead with plans to resume operations at Yongbyon. | |
The removal of similar seals in December 2002 sparked a long-running crisis which resulted in Pyongyang testing an atomic weapon in 2006. | The removal of similar seals in December 2002 sparked a long-running crisis which resulted in Pyongyang testing an atomic weapon in 2006. |
Shut down | |
The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohammed El Baradei, told reporters that North Korea asked inspectors to remove the agency's seals and surveillance cameras on Monday morning. | The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohammed El Baradei, told reporters that North Korea asked inspectors to remove the agency's seals and surveillance cameras on Monday morning. |
Mr ElBaradei said this was "to enable them to carry out tests at the reprocessing plant, which they say will not involve nuclear material". | Mr ElBaradei said this was "to enable them to carry out tests at the reprocessing plant, which they say will not involve nuclear material". |
A senior diplomat close to the IAEA told Reuters that the seals had been removed. | A senior diplomat close to the IAEA told Reuters that the seals had been removed. |
Mr ElBaradei also said that inspectors at Yongbyon had observed that some equipment previously removed by North Korea during the disablement process had been brought back. | Mr ElBaradei also said that inspectors at Yongbyon had observed that some equipment previously removed by North Korea during the disablement process had been brought back. |
However, this did not "change the shutdown status of the nuclear facilities at Yongbyon", he added. | |
Last week, North Korea claimed that the process of decommissioning the plutonium-producing reactor at the Yongbyon plant was 90% complete. | Last week, North Korea claimed that the process of decommissioning the plutonium-producing reactor at the Yongbyon plant was 90% complete. |
But they said the process had been halted in response to the US delay in removing it from a list of countries it says supports terrorism. | But they said the process had been halted in response to the US delay in removing it from a list of countries it says supports terrorism. |
Foreign ministry spokesman Hyun Hak-bong said North Korea was "proceeding with works to restore [the reactor] to its original status". | Foreign ministry spokesman Hyun Hak-bong said North Korea was "proceeding with works to restore [the reactor] to its original status". |
Mr ElBaradei said he hoped that the conditions could be created for North Korea to return to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty at the earliest possible date. | Mr ElBaradei said he hoped that the conditions could be created for North Korea to return to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty at the earliest possible date. |
Experts believe Yongbyon would take a year to restore, a view supported by a recent IAEA report. | Experts believe Yongbyon would take a year to restore, a view supported by a recent IAEA report. |