WORLD / Asia-Pacific
IAEA chief supports talks on DPRK nuclear issue
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-11-24 10:58
VIENNA -- Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), on Thursday welcomed the positive signals sent by
relevant parties about the resumption of talks on the nuclear issue of
the Korean Peninsula.
In an address to the Board of Governors of IAEA, ElBaradei said that the
nuclear weapon test launched last month by the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK) underscored "the importance and urgency of
finding a negotiated solution to the current situation regarding the
DPRK's nuclear program."
"The resumption of dialogue between all concerned parties is
indispensable and urgent," he added.
He also stressed that the DPRK's test was "a matter of deep regret and
concern" and constituted a "serious challenge" to the current
international nuclear non-proliferation regime.
At present, he noted, the IAEA stood ready to work with the DPRK and all
concerned parties toward a solution to assure the international community
that all nuclear activities in the DPRK would be "exclusively for
peaceful purposes."
As to Iran's nuclear issue, ElBaradei said that due to Iran's limited
cooperation with IAEA, the IAEA was unable to move forward in its efforts
to confirm the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in
Iran.
He described Iran's recent decision to allow IAEA experts to inspect two
nuclear sites as "steps in the right direction."
The IAEA chief expressed his hope that through dialogue between Iran and
its partners, conditions would be created to achieve a comprehensive
solution that addresses the respective concerns of all parties.
At Thursday's meeting, the IAEA Board of Governors decided that it would
temporarily not provide technical assistance to Iran's Arak heavy water
nuclear reactor program.
Christopher Hill, U.S. assistant secretary of state, said on Tuesday
after a whirlwind one-day visit to Beijing that he believed the six-party
talks dedicated to resolving the unclear issue on the Korean Peninsula
would probably resume in mid-December.
The six-party talks, launched in 2003, were suspended last November when
Pyongyang walked out in protest against financial sanctions imposed by
Washington.
After carrying out a nuclear test on October 9, the DPRK government
agreed to return to the talks which also involve China, Japan, South
Korea, Russia and the United States, but did not say a specific date.
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