Kim Jong-Il,  North Korea

North Korea Watch: North Korea Agrees to Nuclear Disarmament

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A South Korean reads a newspaper reporting North Korea has agreed to nuclear disarmament in Seoul, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007. North Korea agreed Tuesday after arduous talks to shut down its main nuclear reactor and eventually dismantle its atomic weapons program, just four months after the communist state shocked the world by testing a nuclear bomb.

AP: N. Korea agrees to nuclear disarmament

North Korea agreed Tuesday after arduous talks to shut down its main nuclear reactor and eventually dismantle its atomic weapons program, just four months after the communist state shocked the world by testing a nuclear bomb.

The deal marks the first concrete plan for disarmament in more than three years of six-nation negotiations, and could potentially herald a new era of cooperation in the region with the North’s longtime foes — the United States and Japan — also agreeing to discuss normalizing relations with Pyongyang.

Under the deal, the North will receive initial aid equal to 50,000 tons heavy fuel oil within 60 days for shutting down and sealing its main nuclear reactor and related facilities at Yongbyon, north of the capital, to be confirmed by international inspectors.

For irreversibly disabling the reactor and declaring all nuclear programs, the North will eventually receive another 950,000 tons in aid.

The agreement was read to all delegates in a conference room at a Chinese state guesthouse and Chinese envoy Wu Dawei asked if there were any objections. When none were made, the officials all stood and applauded.

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North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Kwan (L) and U.S. envoy Christopher Hill head for the closing ceremony of the six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear programme, in Beijing February 13, 2007. North Korea agreed to take steps towards nuclear disarmament under a groundbreaking deal struck on Tuesday that will bring the impoverished communist state more than $300 million worth of aid. Under the agreement, which was reached by six countries in Beijing after nearly a week of talks, Pyongyang will freeze the reactor at the heart of its nuclear programme and allow international inspections of the site.

Good News for America and Kudos to the Bush Administration.

No nukes for Libya and now no nukes for the Korean Peninsula. However, remember TRUST BUT VERIFY.

Flap cannot help but think that this had some leverage in the negotiations.

Stay tuned……

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Previous:

North Korea Watch: North Korea Tentatively Agrees to Nuclear Disarmament

Iran Nuclear Watch: North Korea Helping Iran With Nuclear Testing

North Korea Watch: North Korea Wants United Nations Sanctions Lifted

North Korea Watch: Bush Warns North Korea – “Don’t Transfer Nukes”

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North Korea Watch: Pyongyang Threatens War Against South Korea

North Korea Watch: Kim Jong-Il REGRETS Nuclear Test

North Korea Nuclear Watch: President Bush – United States WILL Stop North Korean Nuclear Transfers

North Korea Nuclear Watch: Condoleezza Rice Promises United States Defense of Japan


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