Vienna, JULY 6, SPA -- The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA)board is set to formally approve the sending of personnel to NorthKorea Monday for verifying the shutdown of the country's nuclearweapons programme, REPORTED DPA. In a report released on July 3 after a visit of IAEA chiefinspector Olli Heinonen to Pyongyang, the Agency said it had beengranted access to "all facilities and equipment that have been shutdown and /or sealed for the purpose of its monitoring andverification activities." It remains unclear whether IAEA personnel will be present for theshutdown, or will only verify the shutdown and seal facilities later,diplomats close to the IAEA said. Experts believe the verification process could start by mid-July. Pyongyang said it would start the shutdown of its Yongbyong reactoronly after it started receiving 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil fromSouth Korea as agreed in the denuclearization deal concluded onFebruary 13. South Korea announced it would start shipping by July12. The members of the six-party agreement - excluding North Korea -will carry the extra-budgetary costs for the mission, 1.7 millioneuros (2.3 million dollars) in 2007 and 2.2 million euros in 2008,diplomats in Vienna said. The lion's share of the initial funding will be paid by the US, asJapan, another major stakeholder in the issue, unhappy that thequestion of abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea was leftout of the deal, is refraining from adding its share. After prolonged haggling, the IAEA's 35 board members also reachedan agreement on the Agency's budget after failing to do so at itsregular June meeting. According to Viennese diplomats a budget increase of 4.2 per centwas grudgingly agreed to by countries like Japan, Germany or other EUstates, who advocate zero-growth budgets for UN organizations.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/465244