PYONGYANG, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The next round of the six-party talks on the
Korean Peninsula nuclear issue aims to initiate the implementation of an
agreement signed in 2005, the chief negotiator of the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Wednesday.
"I am satisfied with the results of the talks with the United States,
Russia, China and South Korea on how to implement the Sept. 19 agreement," Kim
Gye-gwan, head of the DPRK delegation to the six-party talks, told Xinhua at
Pyongyang's Sun-an Airport.
The negotiator, who has just wrapped up his bilateral talks in Berlin,
Moscow and Beijing with the United States, Russia, China and South Korea, said
the four sides "have reached consensus on many issues."
The Sept. 19 agreement, which was signed at the fourth round of the
six-party talks in September 2005, was aimed at resolving the nuclear standoff.
In the agreement, the DPRK promised to abandon nuclear weapons and existing
nuclear programs, while the United States affirmed it had no intention of
attacking or invading the country with nuclear or conventional weapons.
Kim told Xinhua that all concerned parties hoped to resume the next round of
six-party talks as early as possible. As the host of the talks, China will fix
the exact date of the next round after consultation with other parties.
During his trip to Berlin last week, Kim held talks with his U.S.
counterpart. He talked with his Russian, Chinese and South Korean counterparts
during his visits to Moscow and Beijing.
The six-party talks, involving the United States, the DPRK, China, Russia,
South Korea and Japan, are aimed at persuading Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear
programs.
Under pressure, the DPRK returned to the stalled talks in
December. However, the talks failed to make any progress.