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

The six parties involved in the Korean nuclear issue remained divided on compensation measures for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as the talks entered the fourth day on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2006.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The six parties involved in the Korean nuclear issue remained divided on compensation measures for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as the talks entered the fourth day on Sunday.

    "It is encouraging throughout the four days that we have talked about energy and we have not seen other problems arise. The goal here is denuclearization, " said chief U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill at the end of Sunday's talks.

    Envoys from host China, the DPRK, the United States, the ROK, Japan and Russia reconvened the talks on Thursday in Beijing in the wake of a 48-day recess.

    The Republic of Korea chief negotiator Chun Yung Woo said there were only one or two major disputes but the breakthrough was not easy.

    Reports said the sticking point to ink a deal centers on the volume and timing about the energy aid to the DPRK.

    "I have met with Kim (Kim Kye-Gwan, top DPRK negotiator) before I came here...he said he had some ideas... Mr Kim said he will think about them," chief U.S envoy Christopher Hill told reporters after visiting an American art exhibition at the National Museum of China at his leisure Sunday afternoon.

    "There are some ideas they (the DPRK) are going to think about and respond to. So I think we will have ideas when we have a delegation meeting later this afternoon," Hill said.

    This was the first one-on-one consultation between Hill and Kim since this phase of talks resumed on Thursday, although they were said to have lunch together on Friday.

    Hill said he had a very "frank and honest" meeting with the head of the DPRK delegation. He laid out for Kim what the United States has prepared to do and not prepared.

    "I think we have prepared to look at some of energy assistance because the DPRK really needs the energy assistance but we are not looking for assistance of that kind which somehow allows the DPRK to avoid denuclearization," Hill said.

    China held several one-on-one talks with the other five parties respectively on Sunday, according to the press center.

    The chief negotiators also had an-hour-long group meeting in the afternoon, without announcing the end of the talks.

    Top Chinese envoy Wu Dawei summarized the current talks and urged more consultations after the group meeting.

    Wu once said the talks would last three or four days.

    But the talks got blocked by the energy aid to the DPRK after the negotiators held consultations on a Chinese draft, which involves the moves the DPRK will take to abandon its nuclear program in return for economic aid and security guarantee.

    The draft reportedly proposes halting within two months work at nuclear sites in the DPRK, including the Yongbyon reactor, and supplying Pyongyang with alternative energy sources.

    Nevertheless, Russian representative Alexander Losyukov told reporters later Sunday that the meeting will end on Monday with a joint statement expected to be inked.

    He said the six parties will continue tough negotiations on Monday. The talks won't end with a chairman statement, and a joint document is expected to be reached in the form of joint statement.

    The talks won't continue on Tuesday, Losyukov said, adding that some delegations will leave Beijing on later Monday or Tuesday.

    He also expressed hope for an earlier establishment of working groups for detailed discussions.

    Japanese negotiator Kenichiro Sasae also said after Sunday's discussions the situation was still severe, and the outcome will be clear on Monday. The DPRK's energy demand remains the biggest sticking point.

    Chief U.S. envoy also confirmed that this phase of talks would end on Monday.