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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| N Korea starts disabling reactor | N Korea starts disabling reactor |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| American nuclear experts in North Korea have begun work to disable the country's key nuclear facility, the US state department says. | American nuclear experts in North Korea have begun work to disable the country's key nuclear facility, the US state department says. |
| Pyongyang agreed earlier this year to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme in return for diplomatic recognition and economic aid. | Pyongyang agreed earlier this year to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme in return for diplomatic recognition and economic aid. |
| North Korea shut down its reactor at Yongbyon in July. | North Korea shut down its reactor at Yongbyon in July. |
| "This is a positive first step in the process," said Tom Casey, a state department spokesman. | "This is a positive first step in the process," said Tom Casey, a state department spokesman. |
| Declaration | |
| Mr Casey did not go into details about what specific steps the team of experts was conducting. | Mr Casey did not go into details about what specific steps the team of experts was conducting. |
| Working in two or three-week rotations over about two months, the US experts are expected to slowly disable the plant, which produces weapons-grade plutonium. | Working in two or three-week rotations over about two months, the US experts are expected to slowly disable the plant, which produces weapons-grade plutonium. |
| The agreement on disabling came after many rounds of six-party negotiations involving China, the US, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas. | |
| North Korea has also agreed to give a complete declaration of its nuclear programmes by the end of the year. | |
| The facilities at Yongbyon are believed to have produced the material for a test device detonated a year ago, proving the regime's nuclear capability. | |
| US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill has said Washington will work closely with North Korea on removing it from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. |