North Korea nuclear disabling on track

The U.S. is confident that North Korea can make good on a pledge to disable its nuclear reactor by the end of the year. The chief U.S. envoy to the disarmament talks made the statement today. North Korea nuclear disabling on track Christopher Hill said that North Korean officials assured him the country would meet commitments made at six-party talks that group the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and host China, including giving a full list of its nuclear programs. "I would say the disablement activities are going well on schedule," Hill told China's Xinhua news agency in Pyongyang at the end of a rare trip by a U.S. official to the old Cold War foe. Hill's was the highest-level U.S. visit so far to the Yongbyon nuclear complex, which contains the reactor at the heart of its atomic program. Secret program Poor and diplomatically isolated, North Korea tested a nuclear device last year, in defiance of international warnings. But months later it agreed at six-party talks to shut down the Yongbyon plant and admit UN atomic inspectors. In exchange, the North is to receive aid, most of it in the form of heavy fuel oil needed to run its ageing factories, and improved diplomatic relations. Before the end of the year the North is also meant to give a complete accounting of its nuclear arms program, which will involve answering U.S. allegations about a secret program to enrich uranium for weapons. "North Korea's list should be complete and full and should include all of its nuclear programs, nuclear materials and nuclear facilities," Xinhua cited Hill as saying. "I think the DPRK is working very hard for the declaration and we had some discussions about that ... so I'm assured they will be prepared to meet the deadline," Hill said, referring to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Even if it meets its year-end commitments, North Korea still has several steps to take before the other countries at the talks will consider it completely disarmed, including moving beyond disablement to completely dismantle its atomic facilities. North Korea is hoping that in reward, Washington will follow through on its pledge to remove the North from a list of states that sponsor terrorism, a move that would bring a potentially huge influx of international aid. Hill was expected in Beijing later on Wednesday where he was to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wu Dawei.

North Korea nuclear disabling on track

Christopher Hill said that North Korean officials assured him the country would meet commitments made at six-party talks that group the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and host China, including giving a full list of its nuclear programs.

"I would say the disablement activities are going well on schedule," Hill told China's Xinhua news agency in Pyongyang at the end of a rare trip by a U.S. official to the old Cold War foe.

Hill's was the highest-level U.S. visit so far to the Yongbyon nuclear complex, which contains the reactor at the heart of its atomic program.

Secret program

Poor and diplomatically isolated, North Korea tested a nuclear device last year, in defiance of international warnings.

But months later it agreed at six-party talks to shut down the Yongbyon plant and admit UN atomic inspectors.

In exchange, the North is to receive aid, most of it in the form of heavy fuel oil needed to run its ageing factories, and improved diplomatic relations.

Before the end of the year the North is also meant to give a complete accounting of its nuclear arms program, which will involve answering U.S. allegations about a secret program to enrich uranium for weapons.

"North Korea's list should be complete and full and should include all of its nuclear programs, nuclear materials and nuclear facilities," Xinhua cited Hill as saying.

"I think the DPRK is working very hard for the declaration and we had some discussions about that ... so I'm assured they will be prepared to meet the deadline," Hill said, referring to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Even if it meets its year-end commitments, North Korea still has several steps to take before the other countries at the talks will consider it completely disarmed, including moving beyond disablement to completely dismantle its atomic facilities.

North Korea is hoping that in reward, Washington will follow through on its pledge to remove the North from a list of states that sponsor terrorism, a move that would bring a potentially huge influx of international aid.

Hill was expected in Beijing later on Wednesday where he was to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wu Dawei.