Lifting UN sanctions against North Korea will help find a
lasting solution to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, China's
ambassador to the world body Wang Guangya said on Tuesday.
His remarks come three days before IAEA inspectors are scheduled
to be in North Korea to check whether it has shut down its nuclear
reactor in Yongbyon as agreed upon.
The decision to lift the curbs, however, has to come from the
"main parties" that called for them last October after Pyongyang
test-fired some "nuclear missiles."
Speaking after Italy's UN ambassador and chairman of the
committee monitoring the sanctions Marcello Spatafora briefed the
UN Security Council, Wang said: "I do hope the main parties will
reconsider these (sanctions) because this will not only help
improve the situation, but also find a lasting solution to this
particular sensitive problem,"
But US spokesman Richard Grenell said: "We've had a previously
scheduled review of the sanctions and there is no plan for any
change."
Under the sanctions, all countries should prevent North Korea
from importing or exporting any material that can be used to make
weapons of mass destruction or ballistic missiles. Also, they
should inspect cargo thoroughly to prevent illegal sale of
unconventional weapons or ballistic missiles to and by the
country.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed
ElBaradei said after reaching Seoul yesterday: "We will verify that
they have shut it (nuclear facility). Whether or not they shut it
before is immaterial."
Professor of Tsinghua University's Institute of International
Studies Liu Jiangyong said: "Wang's proposal comes at a time when
North Korea is about to shut down its nuclear facility in
Yongbyon."
"China wants to create a pleasant atmosphere for the resumption
of the six-party talks," Liu said. The talks
involving China, South and North Korea, Japan, Russia and the US,
is likely to resume on July 18.
(China Daily July 12, 2007)
