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US welcomes DPRK's decision to invite IAEA for discussion

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-06-19 03:17

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Monday that the United States welcomes the decision by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to invite the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for discussing the shutdown of the Yongbyon reactor.

"It is indeed a good step that is about to take place and we expect North Korea to carry through with its obligations," Rice said at a press conference held at the State Department.

The IAEA said Monday that its delegation will visit the DPRK to discuss the relevant issues regarding the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear facility. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei received an invitation letter last Saturday from the DPRK.

The letter invited UN nuclear inspectors into the country to discuss the modalities for verification and monitoring of the suspension of the operations of the Yongbyon nuclear facility under the February 13 agreement.

ElBaradei said in a reply letter that a senior IAEA delegation would visit Pyongyang next week for discussion.

According to the agreement reached on February 13 at the six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program, the DPRK was supposed to shut down and seal the Yongbyon facilities within 60 days in exchange for 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent aid.

The DPRK insisted that its 25 million U.S. dollars frozen at a bank in Macao be returned before shutting down the nuclear reactor and new negotiations are started.