Cambodia supports six-party talks on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue

The Cambodian government has said that it supports the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the Koh Santhephea Daily reported on Tuesday.

The report said Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong had congratulated Choe Han Chun, the out-going ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Cambodia, on the progress achieved at the talks and expressed his support.

Hor, also minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, said Cambodia would always support reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.

The latest round of the six-party talks, involving the United States, DPRK, China, Russia, South Korea and Japan, ended in Beijing on Feb. 13 with the signing of a joint document that represents the first step toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

According to the document, the DPRK will shut down and seal the Yongbyon nuclear facility, including the reprocessing facility, and invite the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) back to the country to monitor and verify its actions.

In return, the DPRK will receive emergency energy assistance of 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil, starting within 60 days.

In exchange for irreversibly disabling the nuclear facility and ending all nuclear programs, the DPRK will eventually receive another 950,000 tons of oil, according to the agreement.

Source: Xinhua