Chief Japanese negotiator Kenichiro Sasae on Thursday expressed
his optimism that the fresh round of six-party talks on the Korean
nuclear issue will make headway.
"The Japanese side hopes and is sure that the talks could make
progress," Sasae told reporters in Beijing.
The fresh phase of six-party talks will resume later Thursday,
focusing on initial steps to implement a 2005 joint statement.
But top US envoy Christopher Hill downplayed a quick settlement
of the Korean nuclear issue.
"There is no success only when we implement the full September
19 joint statement," Hill told reporter earlier Thursday.
Under the joint statement reached on September 19, 2005, North
Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for
economic aid and security guarantees.
Hill denied an alleged signing of memorandum at a meeting
between the US and North Korea in Berlin last month.
"We had good discussions and talked about what we might do in
the next six-party talks. We didn't sign anything," said Hill at a
hotel in downtown Beijing.
Reports claimed the US and North Korea inked a memorandum during
Berlin talks, agreeing that Pyongyang's first steps toward its
denuclearization and US energy support should begin
simultaneously.
(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)
