Shut down of North Korean nuclear facilities is a welcome development

“It is a welcome development that North Korea has shut down its nuclear facilities and that this has been verified by the IAEA. This is an important step on the road towards a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

“We hope that the progress we have seen during the past few days will lead to North Korea abandoning its nuclear weapons programme, and that the process will be monitored by the IAEA. The ongoing six-party talks in Beijing will be important in achieving this,” the Foreign Minister continued.

“If North Korea were to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, this would be an important step in the efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and a significant contribution to nuclear disarmament. I would particularly like to underscore that the progress made has been achieved by diplomatic means and active cooperation between the countries involved. This is an example that should be followed,” Mr Støre added.

“Norway has been engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the IAEA to explore how we can support the IAEA’s further work in North Korea,” the Foreign Minister concluded.