ACCESSION NUMBER:327184
FILE ID:POL204
DATE:02/15/94
TITLE:U.S. WELCOMES NORTH KOREA'S ACCEPTANCE OF IAEA INSPECTIONS (02/15/94)
TEXT:*94021504.POL
U.S. WELCOMES NORTH KOREA'S ACCEPTANCE OF IAEA INSPECTIONS
(Hopes inspections will begin as soon as possible) (480)
By Edmund F. Scherr
USIA Diplomatic Correspondent
Washington -- The United States welcomes North Korea's acceptance of
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguard inspections at seven
declared nuclear sites and hopes they will begin "as soon as possible," the
State Department said February 15.
Following an IAEA announcement on the issue, State Department spokesman
Michael McCurry reiterated that the inspection activities "are critical to
maintaining the continuity of IAEA safeguards" at North Korea's nuclear
facilities.
1It is a necessary step for the agency to be able to reassure the
international community that there has been no diversion of nuclear
material" from those facilities, McCurry told reporters.
The spokesman noted that "satisfactory completion of the inspections at the
earliest possible date and resumption of the North-South dialogue on
de-nuclearization will pave the way for the next round of U.S.-North Korea
talks."
At the request of the United States, U.S. and North Korean representatives
will hold informal talks this week, he said, explaining that the agenda
will focus on how the inspections "can occur promptly," as well as U.S.
interest in ensuring "the continuity of safeguards."
"For the United States-North Korea dialogue to continue," he stressed, North
Korea "will have to conduct those inspections that the IAEA deems necessary
to maintain the continuity of safeguards."
Additional issues must be resolved in order to establish the full scope of
IAEA safeguards against proliferation, he said, adding that "hopefully"
they can be discussed soon by North Korea and the IAEA.
According to the IAEA announcement, a team of inspectors will go to North
Korea as soon as the necessary formalities for entry have been arranged,
the spokesman said, predicting that will occur "very, very shortly."
Commenting on the trip of Congressman Ronald Dellums to North Korea, the
spokesman noted that the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee had
received an invitation from North Korea through private channels some time
ago, independent of the State Department. "As is customary, Chairman
Dellums consulted the State Department before his possible travel," McCurry
said.
He did not know if the IAEA announcement would affect the Dellums trip,
noting that the congressman's travel arrangements are not complete.
Dellums is "traveling in his congressional capacity. He is not traveling
as a negotiator for the administration," McCurry added.
McCurry also noted that planning for the joint U.S.-South Korean military
exercise, "Team Spirit," has been underway for some time, and "no final
decision" has been made on commencing the exercise.
In addition, he said, the United States is still considering the deployment
of the Patriot anti-missile defense system in South Korea. "We've always
made it very clear" the deployment is an issue "related to the security of
South Korea" and the region, he stressed.
NNNN
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