06 January 2003
IAEA Gives North Korea Chance to Come into Safeguards Compliance
(North Korea must take first step, IAEA says) (970)
By Judy Aita
Washington File U.N. Correspondent
United Nations -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board
of Governors meeting in Vienna January 6 gave North Korea one more
chance to come into compliance with its Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) obligations, but made clear that unless North Korea
cooperates fully with the agency the issue will be referred to the
Security Council.
In adopting a resolution by consensus, the board of governors set out
a roadmap for North Korea to follow to come back into compliance with
its nuclear obligations and then to begin a dialogue with the
international community on its security and economic concerns.
The message coming from the board, said IAEA Director General Mohamed
ElBaradei at a press conference after the board meeting, is that "the
international community is not ready to negotiate under blackmail or
under threat, that North Korea has first to fulfill its international
obligations. Once they fulfill their international obligations --
particularly with regard to the safeguard agreement they're party to
-- then there is a light at the end of the tunnel for them."
"The message is: You take the first step," he said. "You come into
compliance and then all the doors will be open. We are ready to
negotiate; we are ready to discuss with you."
"All the pieces of the puzzle are there. There is no fundamental
disagreement: The international community is ready to help DPRK (the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea), is ready to engage DPRK in a
security dialogue, in a dialogue on economic needs, but not under a
situation of nuclear brinkmanship, not in a situation where DPRK is
defying its international obligations," ElBaradei said.
The IAEA's action sets out a plan for North Korea that would bring
back IAEA inspectors and allow the agency to reinstall all of the
safeguard measures that were shut down in December 2002. North Korea
must also cooperate with the agency to clarify reports of an
undeclared enrichment program, cooperate with IAEA to bring to closure
the issue that has been unresolved since 1993 regarding production of
undeclared amounts of plutonium, and continue talks with the agency as
a first step toward coming into compliance.
The board underlined its desire to resolve the issue through
diplomatic means, but at the same time made very clear that unless
North Korea cooperates fully with the IAEA, the matter will be
referred to the U.N. Security Council. The board asked ElBaradei to
make every effort to work with North Korea to bring it back into
compliance and to report back as a matter of urgency, but did not set
any deadline.
ElBaradei said, however, that the board expects a report "clearly in a
matter of weeks."
"I would like to give diplomacy a chance to work. I'd like to give
DPRK time to mull over the resolution and hopefully come [up] with a
positive response, but I understand the board is waiting urgently for
a report from me. I don't think I will be delayed in providing a
response in the very near future," he added.
"The board also made it clear they are interested, keen, to have a
peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue, but at the same time made it
clear that unless DPRK comes into full compliance, DPRK will be
declared in further non-compliance with its international obligation
and that means, under our statute, reporting the matter to the
Security Council," ElBaradei said.
"I hope DPRK will seize this opportunity to come into compliance, I
hope DPRK will understand ... that compliance and not defiance is the
way for a solution to this issue, to understand that they need to take
that first step into coming into compliance before a dialogue could
start with all concerned parties," ElBaradei said.
The IAEA director said that during the meeting all board members made
very clear that "once DPRK took the first step the road is open for a
comprehensive discussion with DPRK on all their security issues and
economic assistance."
ElBaradei said the board of governors did not see the issue as a
quarrel between the United States and North Korea.
"It is clear the problem is of an international dimension," ElBaradei
said. "It is a problem of violating international obligations with
regard to North Korea's non-proliferation obligations. The board was
very clear that this was not a bilateral issue. It is a multilateral
issue with dimensions that go beyond any bilateral relationship
between the U.S. and North Korea."
The director said it was "significant" that there was no disagreement
whatsoever on the content of the resolution. All 35 board members
shared the concern. "It sends a powerful message to the DPRK," he
said.
"It is very important that every country understand that not through
defiance of its international obligations can it get political goals
or strategic advantages. It is through dialogue, and the dialogue has
to be based on respect for international rules," ElBaradei said.
He also said statements were made by members of the 35-member board --
including Japan, South Korea, the United States -- that they stand
ready to engage the DPRK in cooperative agreements with regard to
their economic and security needs, but only if it "takes the first
step and comes into compliance."
Given the difficult relationship the IAEA has had with North Korea for
almost 10 years, ElBaradei said, it is hard to predict what will
happen.
The IAEA had been verifying North Korea's freeze on nuclear activities
for the past eight years. Since North Korea dismantled all
surveillance equipment and expelled the inspectors "we are completely
clueless as to what is happening," the director said.
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
