Pyongyang to Allow Nuclear Inspectors

North Korea is now ready to shut down its main nuclear facilities and accept IAEA nuclear inspectors as early as April 12, news reports said yesterday.

Kim Kye Kwan, chief North Korean nuclear negotiator, made the pledge to a U.S. delegation to Pyongyang led by Bill Richardson, New Mexico governor, and Victor Cha, the U.S. National Security Council`s director for Asian Affairs, who visited Pyongyang between April 8 and 11.

“The DPRK indicated that once its frozen asset in the BDA is released, they would move very quickly to implement their actions, so I hope this happens in a matter of days," said Richardson, who came to Seoul via the truce village of Panmunjeom in a news conference in the afternoon of April 11.

Macau authorities announced that they unfroze 52 North Korean accounts at BDA and that the owners of the accounts can withdraw money starting the morning of that day.

According to the Associated Press, the conditions for Pyongyang to begin its implementation steps have now been met, but the North wants to delay the deadline for switching off its sole operating nuclear reactor by 30 days. Under the February 13 agreement, North Korea is obligated to shut down its Yongbyon nuclear facilities by April 14.

Sean McCormack, U.S. State Department spokesman, said that as the deadline is just four days away, there could be technical problems in shutting down the facilities and indicated that the U.S. could extend the deadline.

Therefore, six-party talks are expected to be held in Beijing as early as next week, and parties concerned will discuss the second-phase measures for closing down the regime’s nuclear facilities, reporting on its nuclear programs, and disabling its nuclear facilities.

China, host of the six-party talks, said that it will resume the talks as soon as the BDA matter is addressed.

Song Min-soon, South Korean Foreign Minister, had a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the morning of that day and discussed resuming the six-party talks and holding a meeting among the foreign ministers of the six-party nations.

Meanwhile, Rice called her Chinese counterpart to talk about reopening the nuclear talks and measures to implement the denuclearization of North Korea.

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