North Korea deal first practical stage: Ban

United Nations, Feb 13: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the former South Korean foreign minister, today welcomed a groundbreaking deal that will see North Korea take steps toward nuclear disarmament as ''the first practical stage toward a non-nuclear peninsula.'' ''The secretary-general is encouraged that this constructive effort by the international community can eventually result in strengthening the global non-proliferation regime, as well as in contributing to durable peace, security and prosperity,'' Ban's spokeswoman, Michele Montas, said.

''This agreement represents the first practical stage toward a non-nuclear peninsula.'' She said Ban, who was deeply involved in dealing with Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, also welcomed the commitment from North and South Korea, the United States, Japan, Russia and China to move quickly to the next stage of the process.

''The secretary-general urges the participants to make every effort to sustain the current positive momentum and ensure that this accord is implemented as agreed,'' she said.

Under the agreement struck today, Pyongyang will freeze the reactor at the heart of its nuclear program and allow international inspections of the site. The deal was reached by the six countries in Beijing four months after the secretive state stunned the world by testing a nuclear device.

Reuters

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