Statement by Ambassador Mitsuru Kitano at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting on 14 June 2017
2017/6/14
Agenda Item 7(b): Application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
At the outset, Japan reiterates its grave concern about the ongoing nuclear and missile-related activities of North Korea, having been conducted in violation of relevant United Nations Security Council and IAEA resolutions. We condemn these activities in the strongest terms. I wish to remind the Board that North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests and launched more than 30 ballistic missiles since last year. Its nuclear and missile development has now reached a new level and is posing a real threat to the region and beyond in the international community. In spite of UN Security Council Resolution 2321 adopted in November last year, North Korea has shown no sign of taking concrete steps in line of this resolution, but rather launched nine ballistic missiles in this year alone, several of which fell in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. These missile related activities are serving the development by North Korea of its nuclear weapons delivery means. These acts do represent a part of its policy of bolstering nuclear forces, and significantly exacerbate tensions in the region and beyond. These provocative actions are deeply regrettable and totally unacceptable. Japan appreciates that the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2356 in response to a series of ballistic missile launches conducted by North Korea.
I stress once again that it is important for each State to strictly and fully implement a series of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and for the international community to act resolutely toward the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. Japan will continue to cooperate closely with the countries concerned.
Mr. Chair,
Japan once again strongly urges North Korea to sincerely take the unequivocal warnings and condemnation repeatedly expressed by the international community, including during the first Preparatory Committee of the 2020 NPT Review Conference last month. We also urge North Korea to comply faithfully and fully with the series of relevant Security Council resolutions including Resolutions 2321 and 2356 without taking further provocative actions such as nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches. Japan further urges North Korea to take concrete steps toward denuclearization without delay. In particular, North Korea is required to abandon all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, including any uranium enrichment activities, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, to immediately cease all related activities, to retract its announcement of withdrawal from the NPT, and to act strictly in accordance with its IAEA Safeguards Agreement.
Mr. Chair,
As an international organization that assumes the role of verifying North Korea’s nuclear programme, the IAEA has continued its effort to keep abreast of developments in that programme to the extent possible through collection and evaluation of safeguards-relevant information. The IAEA has also maintained its readiness to resume monitoring and verification activities in North Korea by preparing safeguards equipment and relevant procedures, as well as staff training. Japan highly appreciates these efforts by the Secretariat, and welcomes the intention of the Director General, as expressed in his opening statement to this Board, to enhance the Agency’s readiness to play an essential role in verifying the DPRK’s nuclear programme and to update the Board in due course. Japan will actively provide support to these efforts in various forms. We hope that the IAEA will continue to play an important role in resolving the North Korean nuclear issues.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
At the outset, Japan reiterates its grave concern about the ongoing nuclear and missile-related activities of North Korea, having been conducted in violation of relevant United Nations Security Council and IAEA resolutions. We condemn these activities in the strongest terms. I wish to remind the Board that North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests and launched more than 30 ballistic missiles since last year. Its nuclear and missile development has now reached a new level and is posing a real threat to the region and beyond in the international community. In spite of UN Security Council Resolution 2321 adopted in November last year, North Korea has shown no sign of taking concrete steps in line of this resolution, but rather launched nine ballistic missiles in this year alone, several of which fell in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. These missile related activities are serving the development by North Korea of its nuclear weapons delivery means. These acts do represent a part of its policy of bolstering nuclear forces, and significantly exacerbate tensions in the region and beyond. These provocative actions are deeply regrettable and totally unacceptable. Japan appreciates that the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2356 in response to a series of ballistic missile launches conducted by North Korea.
I stress once again that it is important for each State to strictly and fully implement a series of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and for the international community to act resolutely toward the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. Japan will continue to cooperate closely with the countries concerned.
Mr. Chair,
Japan once again strongly urges North Korea to sincerely take the unequivocal warnings and condemnation repeatedly expressed by the international community, including during the first Preparatory Committee of the 2020 NPT Review Conference last month. We also urge North Korea to comply faithfully and fully with the series of relevant Security Council resolutions including Resolutions 2321 and 2356 without taking further provocative actions such as nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches. Japan further urges North Korea to take concrete steps toward denuclearization without delay. In particular, North Korea is required to abandon all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, including any uranium enrichment activities, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, to immediately cease all related activities, to retract its announcement of withdrawal from the NPT, and to act strictly in accordance with its IAEA Safeguards Agreement.
Mr. Chair,
As an international organization that assumes the role of verifying North Korea’s nuclear programme, the IAEA has continued its effort to keep abreast of developments in that programme to the extent possible through collection and evaluation of safeguards-relevant information. The IAEA has also maintained its readiness to resume monitoring and verification activities in North Korea by preparing safeguards equipment and relevant procedures, as well as staff training. Japan highly appreciates these efforts by the Secretariat, and welcomes the intention of the Director General, as expressed in his opening statement to this Board, to enhance the Agency’s readiness to play an essential role in verifying the DPRK’s nuclear programme and to update the Board in due course. Japan will actively provide support to these efforts in various forms. We hope that the IAEA will continue to play an important role in resolving the North Korean nuclear issues.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.