New Zealand may provide heavy oil to N. Korea: report

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- New Zealand may replace Japan in supplying heavy fuel oil to North Korea as part of the six-party nuclear disarmament process, a news report said Thursday.

"We're in discussion with the six-party talk members on options to assist with
the cost of heavy fuel oil to North Korea under their process. So we're in the
discussion at this stage," an unnamed spokesperson of the New Zealand Embassy in
Washington said in an interview with the U.S.-based Radio Free Asia.
North Korea was to receive 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent energy
equipment from its five negotiating partners -- the U.S., China, South Korea,
Russia and Japan, in return for disabling its key nuclear facilities in Yongbyon.
Japan, however, refuses to pay its share of the cost unless Pyongyang fully
addresses concerns about Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korean agents in
the 1970s and 80s.
The United States, trying to keep the nuclear disarmament process on track, said
Tuesday it has been in touch with Australia and other countries to make up for
the shortfall of about 200,000 tons of fuel oil.
The spokesperson said nothing was decided yet with regard to whether New Zealand
will take part in the process alone, if it does, or jointly with Australia.