Statement by Ambassador Mitsuru Kitano at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting starting on Monday, 6 March 2017
平成29年3月8日
Agenda Item 5(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. I wish to remind the Board that North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and launched over 20 ballistic missiles last year, and the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2321 on 30 November last year. However, despite this resolution, North Korea has shown no sign of taking concrete steps in line of this, but rather launched a ballistic missile on 12 February and 4 such missiles on 6 March this year. Also, in this month, North Korea has reiterated its position of advancing its nuclear programmes in reaction to U.S.-ROK joint military exercises. These provocative actions are deeply regrettable and totally unacceptable. I wish to underline that North Korea’s nuclear development and the repeated launches of ballistic missiles are two sides of the same coin. Right before our eyes, North Korea is carrying out a plan which poses a grave threat to peace and security of not just Northeast Asia but also the international community as a whole. We should recognize that the threat has now reached a new dimension.
I stress once again that it is important for each State to strictly and fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 2321 and other relevant UNSCR 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 strong warnings and condemnation repeatedly expressed by the international community, and to comply faithfully and fully with the series of relevant Security Council resolutions including Resolution 2321 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 stands ready to provide support, as needed, in this respect. 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. I wish to remind the Board that North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and launched over 20 ballistic missiles last year, and the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2321 on 30 November last year. However, despite this resolution, North Korea has shown no sign of taking concrete steps in line of this, but rather launched a ballistic missile on 12 February and 4 such missiles on 6 March this year. Also, in this month, North Korea has reiterated its position of advancing its nuclear programmes in reaction to U.S.-ROK joint military exercises. These provocative actions are deeply regrettable and totally unacceptable. I wish to underline that North Korea’s nuclear development and the repeated launches of ballistic missiles are two sides of the same coin. Right before our eyes, North Korea is carrying out a plan which poses a grave threat to peace and security of not just Northeast Asia but also the international community as a whole. We should recognize that the threat has now reached a new dimension.
I stress once again that it is important for each State to strictly and fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 2321 and other relevant UNSCR 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 strong warnings and condemnation repeatedly expressed by the international community, and to comply faithfully and fully with the series of relevant Security Council resolutions including Resolution 2321 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 stands ready to provide support, as needed, in this respect. We hope that the IAEA will continue to play an important role in resolving the North Korean nuclear issues.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.