China
6-party talks on DPRK´s nuclear issue open on Dec. 18 in Beijing
WATCH VIDEO
Source: CCTV.com | 12-18-2006 08:34
The six-party talks on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear issue are set to re-open in Beijing in a few hours. Negotiators will pick up where they left off one year ago -- seeking to implement the only agreement reached during the previous round of talks. But the talks are expected to be extremely complex.
|
|
| Chief negotiators(L-R): Chun Yung Woo of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Kenichiro Sasae of Japan, Christopher Hill of U.S., Wu Dawei of China, Kim Kye-gwan of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Sergei Razov of Russia, joint hands in a photo session before a dinner in Beijing, Dec. 17, 2006.The second phase of the fifth-round six-party talks are to be formally launched on Dec. 18, 2006 in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Jianhua) |
On the eve of the resumption of the talks, the six parties met on Sunday evening for dinner.
Top US negotiator Christopher Hill said he had not yet had bilateral talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Kye-gwan.
But he said the atmosphere of the banquet was "pretty good". He also said the US and China had very good discussions about expectations on both sides for the talks. Hill said, "I want to say that we have a very good understanding with the Chinese about what we need to do and I think the US cooperation with the Chinese is really excellent, as it is with the Japanese."
|
|
| Wu Dawei(R), Chinese deputy foreign minister, shakes hands with Christopher Hill, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs and the top U.S. negotiator on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, before a dinner in Beijing, Dec. 17, 2006. The second phase of the fifth-round six-party talks is to be formally launched on Dec. 18, 2006 in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Jianhua) |
This is the third time in one month that the US special envoy for nuclear talks has come to Beijing. He says he's ready for even harder talks with his counterpart.
The US wants measurable progress in the direction of the DPRK implementing the September 2005 statement. According to that agreement. Pyongyang would give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for aid and security guarantees.
