Inspectors of the international nuclear watchdog are likely to visit Pyongyang on Wednesday on the invitation of North Korea as the banking problem, a main stumbling block to a six-party talks on the North’s nuclear program, have been solved.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will Monday discuss matters concerning the dispatch of the working-level inspectors to the North, Yonhap News Agency quoted a U.S. diplomat as saying, adding that they would enter the North as early as June 20 as they are able to prepare for the entry in two days.
Christopher Hill, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Asia and Pacific affairs and U.S. top negotiator to the six-party talks, said at a bar in Ulan Bator Sunday evening that he received an e-mail from IAEA that it would send the working-level delegation to the North soon, Yonhap reported.
IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming confirmed it had received the invitation and said the organization would decide next steps on Monday, Kyodo news agency reported.
Consequently, IAEA inspectors are expected to discuss how to verify and monitor the suspension of the operation of nuclear facilities from Wednesday.
As a result, in a few weeks, the nuclear reactors in Yeongbyeon are expected to be scrapped completely, local North Korea watchers said..
Meanwhile, Hill will fly in Seoul late Monday following his brief stop in Beijing for discussions on the resumption of the nuclear disarmament talks.
"Assistant Secretary of State Hill will arrive here later today for talks with his counterpart Chun Yung-woo on the nuclear issue and the next steps in the Feb. 13 agreement," an official of the Foreign Affairs and Trade said, referring to a six-nation agreement reached in Beijing on Feb. 13, in which North Korea promised to denuclearize
in exchange for energy and economic assistance.
Hill leaves Tuesday for Tokyo where he will meet his Japanese counterpart to discuss the resumption of the nuclear disarmament talks, according to the official.
The six-nation talks involve the two Koreas, the U.S., Japan, Russia and host China.