An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation headed
for Yongbyon today to visit the North Korean nuclear
facilities.
"We are going to see the facilities and continue our discussion
in more details," said Olli Heinonen , head of the delegation and
IAEA deputy director general.
The four-member delegation, which arrived in Pyongyang on
Tuesday, will return to the North Korean capital on Friday,
according to Heinonen.
Heinonen Tuesday spoke about his optimism after talks with his
North Korean counterpart.
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"We are going to negotiate arrangement for ratification of shutting
down and sealing Yongbyon facilities with North Korea during the
three-day visit," he said, at the airport.
This visit by the UN watchdog is the first since IAEA nuclear
inspectors were cast out in 2002 after North Korea pulled out from
the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The delegation arrived in the country at the behest of North
Korean authorities after a long-standing frozen fund dispute
between the United States and North Korea was resolve on
Monday.
Under a February agreement, North Korea pledged to shut down the
Yongbyon reactor within 60 days in exchange of 50,000 tons of heavy
fuel oil or equivalent aid. However, this timeline was shot when
North Korea insisted it retrieve the US$25 million frozen at the
Banco Delta Asia in Macao before the Yongbyon nuclear reactor is
shut down and new negotiations are started.
(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2007)
