Russia, U.S. To Complete Shipment of Heavy Fuel Oil to N. Korea By End of 2008

BEIJING. July 12 (Interfax) – Russia and the U.S. will complete the shipment of the heavy fuel oil promised to North Korea by the end of 2008, says a communique issued upon the closure of a meeting of the heads of delegations to the six-party talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula on Saturday.

China and South Korea also reaffirmed their preparedness to live up to their commitments regarding heavy fuel oil for North Korea. Japan said it would join the process “when essential conditions are provided.”

North Korea has pledged to complete the disabling of its Yongbyon nuclear reactor.

The communique also mentions the creation of a mechanism to verify how the parties live up to their obligations, for which the heads of the delegations will be responsible.

(c) 2008 Daily News Bulletin; Moscow – English. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.