North  KOREA INVITES UN TO NUCLEAR SHUTDOWN

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North Korea has invited UN nuclear inspectors to discuss shutting down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, in the first step towards implementing an international agreement aimed at disarming the communist state.

Pyongyang made the move when it became clear that it would soon receive $25m in previously frozen funds that had been a major obstacle to implementing the nuclear deal reached in February at six-party talks between the US, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas.

The announcement sets the stage for a test of whether North Korea intends to move forward on the February agreement. US president George W. Bush had reportedly become impatient that his team were having so much difficulty arranging the transfer of the money.

“This is a good step and we all want to move forward with our obligations at a good speed,” said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House national security council.

The International Atomic Energy Agency is set to announce today that it is sending a team of inspectors to North Korea to confirm that the Yongbyon reactor is shut down.

As Washington expects the Macao funds to reach the North Korean bank account in Russia early this week, diplomatic efforts to rid North Korea of its nuclear weapons capability are expected to intensify in coming weeks.

The February agreement provides for Pyongyang to receive a series of fuel shipments in return for implementing various stages towards the complete dismantling of its nuclear capability. The deal also paves the way for normalisation of relations between the US and North Korea.


朝鲜已邀请联合国核查人员访问朝鲜，讨论关闭宁边核反应堆相关事宜。这是朝鲜在实施六方会谈协议方面迈出的第一步。

在朝鲜确认将很快收到此前被冻结的2500万美元资金后，做出了这一决定。今年2月份，美国、中国、俄罗斯、日本、韩国和朝鲜经过六方会谈，就朝鲜弃核达成了协议，而这笔被冻结的资金曾是执行该协议的重要障碍。

此次声明有助于检验朝鲜是否愿意进一步执行2月份达成的协议。有报道称，美国总统乔治•布什(George W. Bush)对于手下迟迟难以安排转移这笔资金，已开始不耐烦。

白宫国家安全委员会(White House national security council)发言人戈登•约翰德勒(Gordon Johndroe)表示：“这是很好的一步，我们都希望尽快履行各自的义务。”

国际原子能机构(IAEA)今日将会宣布，向朝鲜派遣一组调查人员，确认宁边反应堆已关闭。

随着美国方面预计冻结在澳门的朝鲜资金将于本周早些时候转到朝鲜在俄罗斯的账户，未来几周，预计各方将会加强外交努力，促使朝鲜放弃制造核武器的能力。

根据2月份达成的协议，在朝鲜完全放弃核能力的过程中，作为其实施不同阶段措施的回报，它将获得一系列燃料供应。该协议还为美朝关系正常化铺平了道路。