The?six-party talks aiming to denuclearize the
Korean Peninsula have entered a stage of "earnest, candid and
pragmatic discussion on substantial issues," the Chinese Foreign
Ministry said yesterday amid indications that the latest round
would end today.
"All parties hope to continue to make concerted efforts to press
ahead," ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular news
briefing.
Qin's remarks came amid hopes for a breakthrough in the
multilateral negotiations, involving host China, the US, Russia,
Japan, North and South Korea.
Negotiators held "intensive" bilateral consultations at the
Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing yesterday, the Chinese
delegation's spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, told reporters.
Their discussions centered around seeking specific actions to
implement a September 2005 joint statement, through which North
Korea committed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for
economic aid and security guarantees.
However, it boycotted the talks two months later in protest
against US financial sanctions.
The top US negotiator, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher
Hill, said last night that his delegation would hold another
one-on-one meeting with North Korea before the current round of
talks ends today.
The chief antagonists met again yesterday to try to narrow their
differences, their third direct contact in the talks, which opened
on Monday after a 13-month hiatus.
Yesterday's discussion appeared to focus on a new set of
improved incentives for North Korea to give up its nuclear
program.
Ahead of yesterday's talks, Hill called on North Korea not to
let the financial issue divert the negotiations. "I'd rather not
obscure that urgent problem (of denuclearization) by talking about
finances," he said.
However, Japanese chief negotiator Kenichiro Sasae told
reporters later yesterday the talks "are in an extremely difficult
situation" due to North Korea's insistence on the US taking the
first step and lifting financial sanctions.
"The situation is extremely difficult, and there is no prospect
of a breakthrough," said Sasae, director-general of Japanese
Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau.
"The biggest reason for the difficulty is that there is no sign
of flexibility" on the part of North Korea over the financial
restrictions, he said.
Liu Jiangyong, a professor of international relations at
Tsinghua University, said a document like a joint statement or
communiqué could be released at the end of the current round to
pave the way for the next round of talks.
"The frequent bilateral contacts between the US and North Korea
during this phase of the talks show Washington has changed its tone
in dealing with Pyongyang's nuclear program," Liu told China
Daily.
"The Bush administration wants a Christmas gift, particularly
considering the pressure of domestic politics, so it might make
some concessions during the give-and-take process."
(China Daily December 22, 2006)