New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters on Friday welcomed the submission by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) of its nuclear programs.
The DPRK has strongly signaled its commitment to denuclearization by submitting a declaration of its nuclear programs to the Chinese government on Thursday, said Peters.
"This is a significant event for the region as it will help diminish, though not yet totally remove, the North Korean (DPRK) nuclear threat," Peters said in a statement.
New Zealand congratulated the nations driving the Six-Party Talks aimed at resolving security concerns resulting from DPRK's nuclear weapons program. The international community will now monitor whether the DPRK's intent to address its nuclear disablement obligations is reflected in the completeness and accuracy of its declaration, he said.
Positive verification will provide much-needed confidence for engaging with Pyongyang, which in turn will help unlock international assistance that will allow DPRK to rebuild, said Peters.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the DPRK ambassador to China Choe Jin Su submitted the declaration to Wu Dawei, China's top negotiator on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue.
Under an agreement reached at the six-party talks in Beijing last October, the DPRK agreed to abandon all nuclear weapons and programs and declare all its nuclear programs and facilities by the end of 2007, in exchange for diplomatic and economic incentives.
However, the DPRK missed the deadline despite reported progress in its nuclear disablement and declaration.
The United States has urged the DPRK to fully declare its nuclear programs and activities.
Source:Xinhua
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