IAEA Board to discuss North Korea, Iran on Wednesday

Sep 23, 2008, 16:50 GMT

Vienna - North Korea's plans to restart a nuclear facility as well as Iran's reluctance in clearing its nuclear past will be discussed at a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday in Vienna.

The debate will come a day after US president George W Bush told the United Nations General Assembly in New York that the world 'must remain vigilant against proliferation by fully implementing the terms of Security Council (resolutions) and enforcing sanctions against North Korea and Iran.'

On Monday, the 35 members of the IAEA Board of Governors were informed that North Korea wanted IAEA seals and cameras removed at the Yongbyong nuclear complex, with a view to restarting its plutonium reprocessing facility.

The IAEA has a mandate to monitor the nuclear freeze that North Korea agreed to with the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea, in exchange for energy aid and an easing of sanctions.

Diplomats expect the US and the European Union to issue strong statements on Iran at the IAEA board Wednesday, after the country has not provided information about alleged studies that could indicate a nuclear weapons effort.

Contrary to resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, Tehran also refuses to halt its uranium enrichment programme.

While the IAEA board is not expected to issue a resolution on Iran, the US, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany have started discussing further steps to be taken in the Security Council.