US envoy optimistic about resuming six-party talks

The US special envoy to the six-party talks, Stephen Bosworth, has met with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei, in Beijing. He described the talks as a "very useful exchange of views", to bring the DPRK back to the negotiating table.

U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Bosworth speaks to the  media at a hotel in Beijing February 24, 2010. U.S. envoys headed to Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo on Tuesday to discuss how to bring North Korea back to talks on its nuclear program but have no plans to meet North Korean officials, the U.S. State Department said.REUTERS/Jason Lee

US special envoy to DPRK Stephen Bosworth said, "We all look forward to an early resumption of the Six-Party process and a renewed pursuit of all the goals of the joint statement of September 2005. Including, of course, very importantly denuclearisation but also a peace regime for the Korean Peninsula, economic and energy assistance and normalization of diplomatic relations."

Bosworth arrived in Beijing on Wednesday. He's also expected to meet his South Korean counterpart, Wi Sung-lak, on Thursday. Hopes for the resumption of the talks have increased, following recent high-level visits between Pyongyang and Beijing. The DPRK pulled out of the talks last year, in protest at the UN's condemnation of its missile tests.