N. Korea to deactivate nuclear facilities from Nov. 1
29/10/2007 12:31 MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) - North Korea will start disabling its nuclear facilities from November 1 as a second step of an agreement aimed at its complete nuclear disarmament in exchange for aid, South Korea's Yonhap agency said.
The second phase is due to be completed by the end of the year under a deal reached early in October, which is part of a broader agreement struck February 13 by South and North Korea, the United States, China, Russia and Japan.
The Yonhap agency quoted South Korea's chief delegate Lim Sung-nam as saying North Korea was committed to deactivating its nuclear facilities, if the other five countries in the talks provided economic and energy aid on time.
His statement came during a session of the working group on aid to North Korea held in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.
As part of the arrangements, Pyongyang will receive either a million metric tons of fuel for its thermal power plants, or an equivalent in products it needs most - mainly steel required to repair energy generating equipment, South Korea's YTN TV channel said.
The six-party negotiations on North Korea's disarmament have been held since August 2003. Five working groups have been set up this year, including for regional security, dismantling nuclear facilities and stabilizing North Korea's relations with the U.S. and Japan.
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