HC Deb 29 March 1993 vol 222 c82W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 March,Official Report, column 432, what decisions were taken at the meetings of 17 and 18 March, respectively, to which he refers; what further developments, in regard to North Korea's withdrawal from the non-proliferation treaty, have taken place since the meetings in Vienna; and if he will place in the Library a copy of Her Majesty's Government's recent communication with North Korea on the non-proliferation treaty.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The non-proliferation treaty co-depositaries continue to co-ordinate closely their response to North Korea's announcement. On 18 March, the International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors adopted a resolution approving the efforts of the secretariat to implement the request for inspections; reaffirming the board's confidence in the director general; confirming that North Korea's safeguards agreement remains in force and requesting the director general to report to a further meeting on 31 March. We have not been in direct communication with North Korea, other than receiving notification of the North Korean intention.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency put forward to the special session of the IAEA board of governors in Vienna called to evaluate the decision of North Korea to withdraw from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and to prohibit IAEA nuclear safeguards inspectors' access to certain nuclear facilities in North Korea.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answer 19 March 1993]: At the IAEA board of governors meeting on 18 March, the British representative gave firm support to the resolution subsequently adopted by the board, which approved the efforts of the secretariat to implement the request for inspections; reaffirmed the board's confidence in the Director General; confirmed that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's safeguards agreement remains in force; and requested the director general to report to a further meeting on 31 March.

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