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IAEA calls on North Korea to return to talks
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-04 09:21
The UN atomic agency called on North Korea to return to six-party talks on
its nuclear program, even as Pyongyang ended a self-imposed moratorium on
testing long-range missiles and said "hostile" US policy was forcing it to make
nuclear weapons.
In a statement adopted by consensus, the International Atomic Energy Agency's
(IAEA) 35-nation board of governors "expressed its serious concern" over North
Korea's announcement February 10 "that it would suspend its participation in the
six-party talks for an indefinite period, and that it had manufactured nuclear
weapons."
China's Vice Foreign Minister Wu
Dawei leaves the U.S. embassy after he met U.S. Ambassador to South
Korea Christopher Hill in a bid
to restart the stalled six party talks to end North Korea's nuclear ambitions in Seoul March 3,
2005. No details of the discussions were made
available.[Reuters] | North Korea upped the
ante on Thursday. It said the moratorium on testing long-range missiles it had
agreed to in September 1999 when Bill Clinton was US president was rendered
invalid by George W. Bush cutting off bilateral talks on missiles when he took
office in 2001.
The announcement came a day after North Korea, a self-proclaimed atomic
power, demanded the United States apologise for calling it part of an "axis of
evil" and one of the "outposts of tyranny" before it would return to the talks.
The United States on Thursday criticized North Korea's decision to end its
missile-testing moratorium, saying the move threatened regional stability and
deepened Pyongyang's isolation.
"This is not helpful. It does not serve North Korea's interests and the
interest of peace and stability in the region," said a State Department
official, who asked not to be named.
The IAEA said in its statement Thursday that it "strongly encouraged all the
parties concerned to redouble their efforts to facilitate an early resumption of
the six-party talks with a view to achieving a peaceful resolution of the DPRK
(North Korea) nuclear issue," according to a copy of the text given to the
press.
The statement "urged particularly the DPRK to agree to the resumption of the
six-party talks... without preconditions."
It also "urged the DPRK to completely dismantle any nuclear weapons program
under credible international verification."
The board "emphasized the importance of continued dialogue to achieve a
peaceful and comprehensive resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue and attached
great importance to the crucial role played by the six party talks in this
regard."
The statement was written by the five nations on the IAEA board which are
involved in the six-party talks -- China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the
United States, diplomats said.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei had Monday said North Korea's declaration that
it has nuclear weapons "is a matter of the utmost concern and has serious
security implications and highlights yet again the importance and the urgency of
finding a diplomatic solution through dialogue."
North Korea kicked IAEA inspectors out in December 2002 and withdrew from the
nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) the following month.
US officials say North Korea's missile program poses a serious threat to the
United States and its allies. North Korea's missile launch in 1998 over Japan
prompted Japan to begin researching missile defense.
South Korea's intelligence agency says North Korea is developing rocket
engines for its Taepodong-2 missile with a range of 6,700 kilometers (4,150
miles), which would be capable of hitting the US state of Hawaii.
However it says North Korea lacks the technology to launch a nuclear-tipped
missile.
The nuclear standoff erupted in October 2002 when the United States accused
North Korea of operating a program based on highly enriched uranium.
Pyongyang denied that charge but restarted a plutonium-based program frozen
under a 1994 arms control agreement.
The two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, have met three
times since 2003, with the last round held in June.
North Korea boycotted a fourth round scheduled for last September, citing
"hostile" US policy.
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