DYB2011-Part-II-web

United Nations Disarmament Yearbook 2011: Part II
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Talks, in which the former sought to explore the willingness of the latter “to
take concrete and irreversible steps toward denuclearization”. Both countries
held a second bilateral meeting in October.
In September, IAEA Director General, Yukiya Amano, submitted to the
Board of Governors and the General Conference a report entitled “Application
of Safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea”. The report
provided an historical overview and update on the recent developments
“of direct relevance to the Agency” pertaining to the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea and was prepared at the request of members of the Board
of Governors. (For more information, see p. 28.)
On 17 December, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea reportedly
agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment programme in exchange for up
to 240,000 tons of food aid, following two days of bilateral discussions in
Beijing between the United States special envoy for North Korean human
rights issues and the Director-General of North American affairs at the Foreign
Ministry of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. According to news
reports, as a “possible” precondition for the resumption of denuclearization
talks, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea agreed “to implement
initial measures of denuclearisation that include a suspension of its uranium
enrichment programme”. Due to the death on 17 December of the leader of
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Jong-Il, the implementation
of the agreement was suspended.
On 20 December, the IAEA Director General reaffirmed the readiness
of the Agency to redeploy inspectors to the Yongbyon nuclear site, which he
characterized as “absolutely necessary for progress on denuclearisation”.
Islamic Republic of Iran
With respect to international efforts to resolve the concerns pertaining
to the nuclear programme of the Islamic Republic of Iran, little progress was
made towards the achievement of a diplomatic and political solution. From 21
to 22 January, the E3+3 countries28 and the Islamic Republic of Iran held talks
in Istanbul that reportedly concluded without agreement on substantive issues,
including on various points pertaining to the purpose of the negotiations.
Despite this outcome, the parties continued to seek the establishment of
a long-term negotiating process, though no further meetings between the E3+3
and the Islamic Republic of Iran were held during the year. On 1 February, the
spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry expressed the readiness of his
country to pursue additional talks. Later that month, the European Union (EU)
High Representative, Catherine Ashton, reportedly sent a letter to Saeed Jalili,
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic
of Iran, requesting a further meeting of the E3+3.
28 China, France, Germany, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States.