Statement by Ambassador Mitsuru Kitano at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting starting on Thursday, 23 November 2017: Agenda Item 4(b): Application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
2017/11/23
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
At the outset, Japan reiterates its grave concern about the ongoing nuclear and missile-related activities of North Korea in violation of relevant United Nations Security Council and IAEA resolutions. Let me emphasize this: North Korea’s nuclear and missile development poses unprecedented, grave and imminent threat against our national security. It seriously undermines the peace and security of the region as well as the international community.
Mr. Chairman,
For more than 20 years, we have consistently pursued efforts for dialogue. North Korea committed itself to denuclearization in the 1994 Agreed Framework between the United States and North Korea and the 2005 Joint Statement of the Six Party Talks. In both cases, however, North Korea broke these commitments and took advantage of them to buy time for its nuclear and missile development. Japan believes that dialogue for the sake of dialogue is futile in addressing this issue. North Korea has shown no sign of taking serious steps and has repeatedly conducted provocative actions. Under these circumstances, we should take all steps to increase the pressure to the maximum level. We need to create a situation where North Korea demonstrates its serious intention to abandon its nuclear and missile programme, and its willingness to conduct dialogue with that intention.
Mr. Chairman,
Japan once again strongly urges North Korea to sincerely take the unequivocal warnings and condemnation repeatedly expressed by the international community. We also urge North Korea to comply fully with the series of relevant Security Council resolutions 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 uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. Also, North Korea must immediately cease all related activities, retract its announcement of withdrawal from the NPT, and act strictly in accordance with its IAEA Safeguards Agreement.
Mr. Chairman,
On 11th September, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted the robust Resolution 2375. The action was taken in response to the sixth nuclear test of 3 September, and imposes drastically stricter sanctions measures against North Korea. In the light of the current situation concerning North Korea, Japan reiterates the need for each country to fully implement a series of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. With a view to eliciting positive intension and concrete actions from North Korea towards denuclearization, we believe that, at present, maximum pressure by the entire international community should be applied to ensure compliance by North Korea with its obligations. We request each State to take all diplomatic measures for this objective.
Mr. Chairman,
The IAEA is the 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 training staff. We also welcome the adoption by consensus of the General Conference resolution in September, which strongly condemned the ongoing nuclear programme of North Korea. In view of the current situation surrounding North Korea, Japan highly appreciates the Secretariat’s work to enhance the Agency’s readiness, carried out within its mandate. 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. Chairman.
At the outset, Japan reiterates its grave concern about the ongoing nuclear and missile-related activities of North Korea in violation of relevant United Nations Security Council and IAEA resolutions. Let me emphasize this: North Korea’s nuclear and missile development poses unprecedented, grave and imminent threat against our national security. It seriously undermines the peace and security of the region as well as the international community.
Mr. Chairman,
For more than 20 years, we have consistently pursued efforts for dialogue. North Korea committed itself to denuclearization in the 1994 Agreed Framework between the United States and North Korea and the 2005 Joint Statement of the Six Party Talks. In both cases, however, North Korea broke these commitments and took advantage of them to buy time for its nuclear and missile development. Japan believes that dialogue for the sake of dialogue is futile in addressing this issue. North Korea has shown no sign of taking serious steps and has repeatedly conducted provocative actions. Under these circumstances, we should take all steps to increase the pressure to the maximum level. We need to create a situation where North Korea demonstrates its serious intention to abandon its nuclear and missile programme, and its willingness to conduct dialogue with that intention.
Mr. Chairman,
Japan once again strongly urges North Korea to sincerely take the unequivocal warnings and condemnation repeatedly expressed by the international community. We also urge North Korea to comply fully with the series of relevant Security Council resolutions 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 uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. Also, North Korea must immediately cease all related activities, retract its announcement of withdrawal from the NPT, and act strictly in accordance with its IAEA Safeguards Agreement.
Mr. Chairman,
On 11th September, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted the robust Resolution 2375. The action was taken in response to the sixth nuclear test of 3 September, and imposes drastically stricter sanctions measures against North Korea. In the light of the current situation concerning North Korea, Japan reiterates the need for each country to fully implement a series of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. With a view to eliciting positive intension and concrete actions from North Korea towards denuclearization, we believe that, at present, maximum pressure by the entire international community should be applied to ensure compliance by North Korea with its obligations. We request each State to take all diplomatic measures for this objective.
Mr. Chairman,
The IAEA is the 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 training staff. We also welcome the adoption by consensus of the General Conference resolution in September, which strongly condemned the ongoing nuclear programme of North Korea. In view of the current situation surrounding North Korea, Japan highly appreciates the Secretariat’s work to enhance the Agency’s readiness, carried out within its mandate. 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. Chairman.