US, SKorea discuss new civil nuclear cooperation deal

US and South Korean experts began talks aimed at concluding a new agreement on sharing civil nuclear energy technology, once the current accord expires in 2014, the State Department said Tuesday. During their meeting

in Washington on Monday the two sides outlined their negotiating positions and discussed when and where to hold further consultations for a new agreement, it said in a statement.
The talks were headed by Cho Hyun, the South Korean deputy foreign minister for multilateral and global affairs and Robert Einhorn, the US special advisor for non-proliferation and arms control, it added.
"Both sides expect the new agreement to ensure the continuance and further development of the robust bilateral cooperation they have enjoyed in atomic energy for more than fifty years," the statement said.
They also expect it to "further contribute to the strengthening of their alliance by enhancing cooperation in nuclear research and development, industry and commerce in the future," it added.
"The two sides also discussed a proposed joint study of nuclear power reactor spent fuel disposition options, including pyroprocessing," the statement said.
"They agreed that technical experts would meet soon to work out the scope of the study and the venue and schedule for completing it."
The current agreement Concerning Civil Uses of Atomic Energy

, which was adopted in 1972 and amended in 1974, will expire in early 2014.http://www.nuclearpowerdaily.com/reports/US_SKorea_discuss_new_civil_nuclear_cooperation_deal_999.html