By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Technical experts from Russia, China, Japan and South Korea began inspections of North Korea’s nuclear facilities Tuesday to assess the country’s denuclearisation schedule.
The experts’ visit Nov 27-29 is in line with agreements reached by the six nations including US on Oct 3, when North Korea agreed to decommission three nuclear facilities in Yongbyon, about 100 km north of capital Pyongyang.
Technical experts from the US are already in Yongbyon, leading a team that is dismantling the country’s nuclear facilities.
Following the negotiations, in a joint statement on Oct 3, North Korea agreed to decommission a 5 MW nuclear reactor, a radiochemical laboratory and a nuclear fuel processing plant at Yongbyon by Dec 31.
A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson last week described the experts’ visit as part of preparations for a meeting of the negotiators in Beijing, scheduled for Dec 6-8, which will assess Pyongyang’s denuclearisation progress and consider holding talks at the level of foreign ministers.
North Korea, which tested a nuclear bomb in October 2006, closed down its main nuclear reactor in July under a six-party deal in February.
In return for its cooperation, North Korea is to receive aid equivalent to one million tonnes of fuel oil.
In addition, the US has promised to take steps for removing the country from the list of countries aiding terrorism.