Foreign Minister Støre welcomes breakthrough in North Korea nuclear talks

Everything seems to indicate that the course is now set for North Korean denuclearisation.

- It is positive that North Korea has now agreed to initially freeze its nuclear weapons programme and eventually dismantle it. This shows that the negotiation track has delivered results, and I would like to commend the involved countries for the way they have engaged in this process, said Foreign Jonas Gahr Minister Støre. 

The agreement is important for the ongoing efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Norway participates actively in these efforts. The breakthrough is also important for regional security in East Asia. 

- I presume that the inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will now be allowed to return to North Korea to verify that the country is dismantling it nuclear weapons programme. This is essential for the credibility of the agreement and to assure us that North Korea is, in fact, shutting down its nuclear facilities, said Mr Støre.