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UN nuclear chief in North Korea | |
(about 21 hours later) | |
The head of the UN nuclear agency has arrived in North Korea, to hold talks on dismantling its nuclear programme. | |
Mohamed ElBaradei told reporters that he hoped his agency could make progress in its relationship with the North. | |
During his visit, he is also expected to ask Pyongyang for a timetable for the return of UN inspectors. | |
Under a deal reached last month, North Korea agreed to "shut down and seal" its only nuclear reactor within 60 days, in exchange for extra aid. | |
The North is to receive 50,000 tonnes of fuel or economic aid of equal value after closing the Yongbyon facility. | |
A further 950,000 tonnes of fuel oil or an equivalent is to be made available when the North permanently disables its nuclear operations. | A further 950,000 tonnes of fuel oil or an equivalent is to be made available when the North permanently disables its nuclear operations. |
The deal - reached at six-party talks in Beijing on 13 February - followed North Korea's nuclear and missile tests last year, which drew international condemnation and sanctions. | |
"We hope to discuss... how we can implement the agreements reached at the six-party talks. I hope the outcome is positive," China's official Xinhua news agency quoted Mr ElBaradei as saying after he arrived in Pyongyang. | |
'Incremental process' | 'Incremental process' |
Mr ElBaradei's trip to North Korea comes more than four years after inspectors with the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were kicked out of North Korea, when a previous disarmament deal fell apart. | |
N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weaponsBut not thought to have any small enough to put in a missileCould try dropping from plane, though world watching closely | N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weaponsBut not thought to have any small enough to put in a missileCould try dropping from plane, though world watching closely |
While on a visit to China before arriving in Pyongyang, Mr ElBaradei said he hoped the inspections would resume "in time to implement the agreement of the six-party talks". | |
"I'd like this trip to at least establish the framework and then gradually move forward," he said. "It is in their interests obviously to keep to that deadline, but we'll see." | "I'd like this trip to at least establish the framework and then gradually move forward," he said. "It is in their interests obviously to keep to that deadline, but we'll see." |
Mr ElBaradei said he also hoped to discuss the resumption of the North's membership of the IAEA. | Mr ElBaradei said he also hoped to discuss the resumption of the North's membership of the IAEA. |
But he warned of a long way to go before relations were normalised. | |
"It is going to be a very incremental process," he told reporters in Beijing on Monday. | |
"There's a lot of confidence that needs to be built." | "There's a lot of confidence that needs to be built." |