N Korea may get light water reactor

The United States on Monday indicated that North Korea may get a light water nuclear reactor in return for dismantling its own nuclear infrastructure under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

"You can see the agreement and you can see our statement. What is clear is that the parties agreed to talk about civilian light-water reactor in the future and at an appropriate time... once North Korea has returned to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and once they are in compliance with all IAEA safeguards," State Department Deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said.

It is a theoretical proposition in the future, contingent on dismantling having taken place, realigning up to the NPT and having IAEA safeguards in place, he said.

"The US position, as stated by Assistant Secretary Christopher Hill in our closing statement, is that all elements of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea – all elements of its nuclear programmes past and present – would be comprehensively declared and completely, verifiably and irreversibly eliminated.

Asked when there would be full diplomatic relations between the US and North Korea, Ereli said, "It is something we will be looking at in the intervening six to eight weeks or until the next round of talks.

"We really haven't fully thought it through. But I will underscore what it says in the joint statement, which is actions will be met with actions."