North Korea Agrees to Dismantle Nuclear Program

Negotiators Reach Deal On North Korean Nukes

BEIJING - International negotiators say North Korea has agreed to shut down its main nuclear reactor and eventually dismantle its nuclear program in return for fuel aid.

Chinese envoy Wu Dawei, announcing the deal in Beijing after a week of talks, said a major breakthrough was reached.

“With the disarmament of North Korea’s nuclear facilities as the final goal,” he said, “North Korea will close and shut down its Yongbyon nuclear complex.”

Wu added, “North Korea will invite inspectors back to North Korea to do the necessary inspections.”

He said North Korea had agreed to shut down its main nuclear reactor within 60 days in return for fuel aid.

“Approximately 100,000 tons of fuel oil and humanitarian aid, which will include a first batch of 50,000 tons of fuel, will be provided to North Korea,” Wu said.

The Chinese envoy said the accord provides for Pyongyang receiving another 1 million tons of fuel oil - or equivalent aid - if it permanently dismantles its nuclear program.

The draft agreement must still be signed by all six countries negotiating over the North Korean nuclear crisis before the accord can take effect.

The U.S. chief negotiator at the six-party talks, Christopher Hill, welcomed the accord as meeting Washington’s goals.

Under the deal, Washington would begin the process of removing North Korea from its list of terror-sponsoring states and move toward establishing diplomatic relations.

The chief Japanese negotiator Kenichiro Sasae, speaking separately in Beijing, also praised the agreement.

“We have a good draft agreement,” he said. But he cautioned that “there are many different opinions, so it is necessary to have the North Koreans’ positive opinion to get a [lasting] agreement.”

There is still some wariness about the deal.

North Korea signed a similar accord in the 1990s which later fell apart over evidence Pyongyang was continuing to pursue a nuclear program.

Another meeting of nuclear negotiators is scheduled March 19.

The six party talks on North Korea nuclear program involve the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and the two Koreas.