Breakthrough in nuke talks

2005-09-19 10:41

Beijing - North Korea pledged to drop its nuclear weapons development and rejoin international arms treaties in a unanimous agreement on Monday with other countries at arms talks, in the first breakthrough in more than two years of negotiations.

The North "committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes and returning at an early date" to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, according to the agreement by the six countries at the talks.

Negotiators agreed to hold more talks in November, where they were expected to move on to concrete discussions about implementing the broad principles outlined in Monday's agreement. The main United States envoy, assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill, has warned that could still be a long process.

"The six parties unanimously reaffirmed that the goal of the six-party talks is the verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner," the statement said.

Respect and a peaceful coexistence

North Korea and United States also pledged in the agreement to respect each other's sovereignty and right to peaceful coexistence, and also to take steps to normalise relations.

"The United States affirmed that it has no nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and has no intention to attack or invade (North Korea) with nuclear or conventional weapons," according to the statement, in assurances echoed by South Korea.

The talks, which began in August 2003, include China, Japan, Russia, the United States and the two Koreas.

The negotiations had been deadlocked over North Korea's demand that it keep the right to civilian nuclear programmes after it disarms, and the statement acknowledges the North has made such an assertion but does not go beyond that.

Discussions at a later stage

North Korea had also demanded that it be given a light-water nuclear reactor at the latest talks - a type less easily diverted for weapons use - but Washington had said it and other countries at the talks would not meet that request.

Putting aside the question for now, the joint statement said: "the other parties expressed their respect and agreed to discuss at an appropriate time the subject of the provision of light-water reactor" to North Korea.

North Korea has also refused to totally disarm without getting concessions along the way, while Washington has said it wants to see the weapons programmes totally dismantled before granting rewards. The statement, however, says the sides agreed to take steps to implement the agreement "in a phased manner in line with the principle of 'commitment for commitment, action for action'".

The other countries at the talks said they were willing give energy assistance to the North, including a South Korean plan to deliver electricity across the heavily armed border dividing the peninsula.

- AP