North Korea preparing to shut reactor: Australia

BEIJING (Reuters) - Australia said on Thursday it would resume full relations with North Korea if it makes good on a pledge to dismantle its nuclear programs, adding it saw no sign that Pyongyang would back away from the deal.

Australia suspended full ties in late 2002 when a previous disarmament deal fell apart amid U.S. accusations the North was cheating by pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

North Korea tested a series of missiles last July and followed with a nuclear test in October, but it agreed last month at six-party talks in Beijing to shut the reactor at the heart of its atomic program in return for aid and security pledges.

"I explained that the Australian government would be willing to support the implementation of the six-party talks, including by resuming our bilateral relationship with North Korea," Australian diplomat Peter Baxter told reporters in Beijing following a trip to the reclusive state.

"But any such moves would be entirely conditional on North Korea demonstrating continued progress in meeting the commitments it has made to abandon its nuclear weapons programs," he said.

At Beijing talks in February with the United States, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia, Pyongyang agreed to shut its Yongbyon reactor within 60 days in return for an initial shipment of heavy fuel oil.

Baxter, who met senior officials in the North Korean foreign ministry, trade ministry and agriculture ministry, said they had indicated that their country was committed to the deal.

"The North Korean officials made it clear to me that they were preparing to shut down Yongbyon and allow IAEA inspectors to verify that action," he said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.

"I heard nothing in my discussions with the North Korean officials to indicate that they were backtracking," Baxter said.