Special report: Six-party talks - 3rd phase of 5th round

   

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, who is the top nuclear negotiator, arrives in Beijing Feb. 7, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Jianhua) Photo Gallery>>>

BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Top U.S. envoy Christopher Hill on Thursday denied an alleged signing of memorandum at a meeting between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Berlin last month.

    "We had good discussions and want to see 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 United States and the DPRK inked a memorandum during Berlin talks, agreeing that Pyongyang's first steps toward its denuclearization and U.S. energy support should begin simultaneously.

    The fresh phase of six-party talks will resume in the Chinese capital later Thursday, focusing on initial steps to implement a 2005 joint statement.

    Under the joint statement reached on Sept. 19, 2005, the DPRK agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for economic aid and security guarantees.

    The top U.S. nuclear negotiator visited the Republic of Korea and Japan before his arrival in China, emphasizing "concrete and effective steps toward the full implementation of the Sept. 19 Joint Statement and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

    "At this point I don't want to tell that what aspects of the agreement we try to get implemented except to say we do get set of actions," Hill said. "If we do, it would be widely seen as a solid positive step towards implementation of the agreement."

    Hill also downplayed a quick settlement of the Korean nuclear issue, just saying all parties involved try to deal causes of the problems in a "broad and comprehensive way".

    "There is no success only when we implement the full Sept. 19 joint statement," Hill said.

Korean nuke issue envoys continue diplomacy on eve of talks

    BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Five chief negotiators involved in the Korean nuke issue on Wednesday held intensive meetings to pave the way for the six-party talks that will resume in Beijing on Thursday afternoon.

    "Chief Chinese negotiator Wu Dawei held one-on-one talks with his counterparts from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan," sources with the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, without releasing more details.

    The flurry of diplomatic consultations came immediately after the four foreign envoys arrived in Beijing on Wednesday.

    "This is a very important session," top U.S. envoy Christopher Hill told reporters at the Beijing airport. "We all know what we need to accomplish, and we all hope for success." Full Story

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