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North Korea welcomes terror list removal

12/10/2008

North Korea has praised a US move to remove its name from a list of sponsors of terrorism in exchange for more transparency on its nuclear programme.

An agreement reached between the US and North Korea on Saturday will see the authoritarian state allow inspectors to take samples at nuclear sites and to verify that transfers of technology are not taking place.

Previously, North Korea warned that it would rebuilt the Yongbyon reactor, which it began dismantling in August, if the US did not agree to remove it from the list of terrorism sponsors.

A spokesman for North Korea's foreign ministry told the country's official news agency: "We welcome the US implementation of its duty to remove us from the list of states sponsoring terrorism.

"We have decided to resume the disabling of nuclear facilities in Yongbyon and to allow US and International Atomic Energy Agency monitors to carry out their work again."

Neighbouring South Korea has also welcomed the deal saying that it would give a boost to six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programme.

However, US ally Japan said the move was "extremely regrettable" and called for further information on Japanese citizens abducted by the North Koreans in the 1970s and 1980s.

The US, Japan, Russia, China, South Korea and North Korea have been involved in longstanding six-party talks on the abandonment of North Korea's nuclear programme.