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N Korea 'could shut reactor soon' N Korea 'ready to shut reactor'
(about 3 hours later)
North Korea has told US delegates that it will miss Saturday's deadline to begin shutting down its main nuclear reactor, US news network NBC reports. North Korea will take steps to shut down its main nuclear reactor "within a day" of a freeze on its funds being lifted, a US delegation chief has said.
But it said that because a dispute over frozen funds had now been resolved, it could begin the process within 30 days. Bill Richardson said North officials had assured him they would invite back UN nuclear inspectors as soon as they had access to their money.
North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator Kim Kye-gwan also said UN nuclear inspectors could be allowed back into the country within a month. The funds, which have been frozen in a Macau bank, are expected to be released later Wednesday or Thursday, he added.
Saturday's deadline to shut the reactor was part of a deal agreed in February. The issue has hindered efforts to meet Saturday's reactor shutdown deadline.
Under the landmark agreement, North Korea said it would "shut down and seal" its Yongbyon nuclear plant in return for energy aid and other incentives from its dialogue partners - the US, China, Russia, South Korea and Japan. North Korea had asked for a further 30 days, beyond Saturday, to close its only operational reactor, Yongbyon, Mr Richardson said.
But progress on implementing the deal was delayed because of the financial dispute involving $25m (£12.7m) of North Korean funds, which had been frozen in Macau-based Banco Delta Asia (BDA). He had told the North Korean officials the US thought that was too long, he added.
"We let them know that this was not acceptable and the issue was dropped," Mr Richardson told a news conference in South Korea.
"Now the ball is in North Korea's court to take the next important steps."
'Resolved''Resolved'
A US delegation has been in Pyongyang to negotiate return of the remains of American soldiers killed in the Korean War. Mr Richardson, New Mexico state governor and a US presidential candidate, was speaking after a four-day visit to the Communist state.
The head of the team, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, was given assurances over the North's nuclear pledge at a dinner with Kim Kye-gwan, NBC quoted delegation officials as saying. I'm optimistic about North Korea's willingness to return to the six-party talks and shut down the Yongbyon reactor Bill Richardson class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6543851.stm">US recovers bodies from N Korea
Mr Kim said that while the North would miss Saturday's deadline, it could begin shutting the reactor within 30 days and allow back in UN inspectors within the month, NBC reported. He was leading a delegation to retrieve the bodies of US soldiers killed during the Korean War.
Pyongyang had refused to move forward with the deal over its nuclear programme until its funds in Macau were unblocked. He said officials in Pyongyang had assured him that once the funds were made accessible, the North would act swiftly to enact its pledge to shut down Yongbyon.
On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department said the freeze had been lifted by the Macau authorities, allowing North Korea to obtain the money. "The North Korean government told us that with that issue resolved, [it] would move promptly, within a day after receiving the funds," he said.
Senior US envoy to North Korea Christopher Hill told reporters that the impasse had now been resolved. "And therefore, within that day, [it would] invite the [UN nuclear inspectors] to Pyongyang to draft the terms for shutting down the Yongbyon reactor," he added.
Mr Richardson said he was "optimistic" about the North's willingness to shut the reactor, which was part of a deal agreed in February.
Under that landmark agreement, North Korea said it would "shut down and seal" Yongbyon in return for energy aid and other incentives from its dialogue partners - the US, China, Russia, South Korea and Japan.
But the deal has been delayed because of the financial dispute involving $25m (£12.7m) of North Korean funds, which was frozen in Macau-based Banco Delta Asia (BDA).
The deadlock looked to have been resolved on Tuesday when the US Treasury Department said the Macau authorities would lift the freeze, allowing North Korea to obtain the money.
Senior US envoy to North Korea Christopher Hill said the issue should no longer block progress on the nuclear deal.
"I think we have come to a very important juncture which is that we consider this BDA matter to be really resolved," he said."I think we have come to a very important juncture which is that we consider this BDA matter to be really resolved," he said.
"The DPRK (North Korea) has access to their accounts now... We think it is a really important time to get on with the ever urgent task of denuclearisation, in particular to get on with the implementation of this February agreement." "The DPRK [North Korea] has access to their accounts now... We think it is a really important time to get on with the ever urgent task of denuclearisation, in particular to get on with the implementation of this February agreement."