South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator today said he believed that North Korea would abide by recent commitments made in relation to its controversial nuclear programme and is ready to halt plutonium production. "They made the decision to give up at least the existing nuclear programmes and even facilities," said Chun Yung Woo, who led Seoul's delegation in the recent six-party talks session. "That means to forgo any additional production of plutonium." According to dpa, Chun stressed however that agreement reached during the latest round of six-party talks - involving North Korea, South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia and held in Beijing from February 8 to 13 - was only the beginning. "The nuclear issue has yet to be resolved," he said. "We have a long journey ahead before the complete dismantlement of all nuclear weapons and nuclear programmes and the road there cannot be but rough." The first steps agreed at the meeting foresee that North Korea shuts down within 60 days a key nuclear facility in Yongbyon in return for energy aid and other concessions. -- SPA
