North Korea Nuclear Negotiations to Resume July 18

Six-nation talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program will resume in Beijing on July 18, as United Nations nuclear inspectors prepare to verify the shutdown of the communist state's plutonium reactor.

``The chief envoys will meet in Beijing July 18-19 to talk about issues of mutual concern,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a regular briefing in the capital. ``China, as the host, will do its best to address concerns of all the parties.''

North Korea will start shutting down its Yongbyon reactor early next week, the head of the UN atomic agency said. Moves to shut Yongbyon would be the first signs North Korea is abiding by a Feb. 13 agreement with the U.S., South Korea, Russia, China and Japan to start the process of nuclear disarmament in return for energy aid. The country tested its first atomic device Oct. 9, raising concern among its neighbors of a possible nuclear attack.

A team of inspectors will arrive in North Korea on July 14 and start closing the plants next week, Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said at a news conference in Seoul. This process, along with installing cameras and other monitoring equipment, will be completed in about ``a month or so,'' Elbaradei said.

``A couple of weeks ago we reached an understanding on the modalities on how to work with the DPRK on shutting down the five nuclear facilities at Yongbyon,'' ElBaradei said, referring to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official name of the country. ``I expect that operation to move smoothly.''

Producing Plutonium

The Yongbyon plant can produce weapons-grade plutonium, making its shutdown a priority for the U.S. and its partners in the disarmament effort.

North Korea may close the reactor as soon as it gets part of 50,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil promised in the February accord, rather than wait for the full amount, the official Korean Central News Agency said July 6.

South Korea sent the first shipment to North Korea today, Park Won Jae, a spokesman for the Unification Ministry, said by telephone in Seoul. The 6,200 tons of heavy oil is due to arrive in North Korea on July 14, he said.

source:bloomberg.com