| SLUG: 2-297853 IAEA / North Korea | DATE: | NOTE NUMBER: |
DATE=12/27/02 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=IAEA/NORTH KOREA (SHORT/LONG) NUMBER=2-297853 BYLINE=MELANIE SULLY DATELINE=VIENNA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: The International Atomic Energy Agency has asked North Korea to allow its inspectors to stay in the country and monitor activities at the Yonbyon nuclear reactor. Melanie Sully reports from Vienna the agency was responding to moves by Pyongyang early Friday to expel the inspectors. TEXT: The IAEA director general, Mohamed ElBaradei, issued a statement Friday insisting that the inspectors are needed to monitor the reactivation of the Yongbyon nuclear reactor. Mr. ElBaradei says the inspectors need to re-install monitoring equipment North Korea has removed or disabled in recent weeks. He says that without the inspectors and the monitoring equipment, the IAEA's ability to monitor North Korea's nuclear program would be virtually eliminated. The Yongbyon plant can produce plutonium used in making nuclear weapons. Mr. Elbaradei has said North Korea has "no current legitimate peaceful use for plutonium." The IAEA director general called on the North Koreans to allow the agency to carry on unimpeded with its monitoring. Failing that, he asks for immediate notification so that arrangements can be made for the departure of the inspectors. ///REST OPT FOR LONG/// The chief spokesperson for the IAEA, Melissa Fleming, says that recent developments are cause for considerable concern. ///FLEMING ACTUALITY/// It is indeed serious and we have been saying that today. What we said was that this is one further step away from the possibility of defusing the crisis and certainly we would say this is of deep concern. ///END ACT/// On Thursday, the IAEA accused North Korea of engaging in "nuclear brinksmanship," and called the situation there "very worrying." (Signed) NEB/MS/AWP/MAR |
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