New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson arrives in Beijing after a five-day visit to Pyongyang. By showing restraint during recent war games by South Korea, North Korea signals that dialogue is possible. IAEA inspectors might be allowed back in North Korea after being kicked out in 2009.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Dialogue is possible after a hiatus of many months because North Korea did not respond to South Korean war games yesterday, this according to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson who arrived today in Beijing after a five-day visit to Pyongyang.

Richardson praised South Korea for the way it conducted its live-fire exercises, which was within its right to do, without provoking the North. He described his trip to Pyongyang as “positive”, noting that North Korean leaders did not go through with the devastating attacks they had threatened. What is more, the North has agreed to allow IAEA inspectors back into its nuclear facilities. They had been expelled in 2009, a decision that led to further sanctions against the Pyongyang regime.

The US envoy also said that the North Koreans have agreed to sell the 12,000 fuel rods used in their uranium enrichment and weapon programmes, to South Korea perhaps. Governments now have an opportunity to restart the stalled six-nation talks, he said.

Abruptly ended two years ago, the six-nation talks focus on nuclear disarmament in the Korean Peninsula. The parties involved include the two Koreas, China, the United States, Japan and Russia.

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