Disarmament

IAEA Board of Governors Meeting: 2-6 June 2008

Agenda Item 7(c): Report by the Director General on the application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

New Zealand intervention

Mr Chairman

I wish to add New Zealand’s voice to those who have welcomed the comments made by the Director General in his report on the application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

We are pleased to see that the relationship between the Agency and the DPRK, set out in the understandings on monitoring and verification reached in June 2007, continues to be constructive and that the Agency continues to take an active role in assisting the DPRK to fulfil its safeguards obligations.

We note also the recent positive progress made with the DPRK handing over 18,000 pages of documentation consisting of daily operating records for the 5 megawatt reactor and fuel reprocessing plant at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, and that the Six Party Talks will resume this month. These are positive steps forward.

We urge the DPRK to continue with these initiatives and that a complete and correct declaration, including the necessary information on uranium enrichment and proliferation, will be made in the short-term.

We appreciate the ongoing efforts that have been made by all participants in the Six Party Talks to keep communication open and move implementation of the Six Party agreements toward the ultimate goal of the denuclearisation of the DPRK.

We look forward to the DPRK returning to full compliance with its international obligations and the DPRK’s early return to IAEA safeguards and the NPT.

Thank you Mr Chairman

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