Related report: Six-party talks - 3rd phase of 5th
round
BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Six parties involved in the
Korean Peninsula nuclear issue would make their final attempt to clinch a deal
as the talks entered the fifth day on Monday, with energy aid still as focus of
negotiations.
An official from the Republic of Korea (ROK) delegation said Monday
afternoon that the talks cannot foresee an optimistic result as consultations
are stretched into the end of what is expected to be the final day of
negotiations.
The official, on condition of anonymity, said the ROK has not heard from
China that the talks will conclude on Monday and the parties are still
discussing a preliminary Chinese draft.
The draft, circulated on Thursday, reportedly proposes halting within two
months the work at nuclear sites in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK), including the Yongbyon reactor, and supplying Pyongyang with alternative
energy sources.
"It is the last day of the talks, let's see how it goes," said chief U.S.
negotiator Christopher Hill. "We have put everything on the table, it's up to
DPRK."
The ROK chief negotiator Chun Yung Woo cautioned the prospect of the talks
on Monday morning.
"The sky in Beijing is very clear, but the prospect for the six-party talks
is unclear," Chun told reporters in the hotel.
At a chief delegates' meeting on Sunday, the DPRK agreed with other parties
to conclude the talks on Monday. "This shows the DPRK has the will to achieve
results today," said Chun.
But whether the talks will conclude Monday depends on what the attitude the
DPRK will take, Chun added.
Echoing Chun's remarks, Japanese negotiator Kenichiro Sasae said the
parties will make utmost efforts to reach an agreement as the talks are
stretched to the final day on Monday.
"However, whether or not an agreement will be reached depends on response
from the DPRK," said Sasae.
To coordinate differences, host China held separate bilateral meetings with
the DPRK and the United States on Monday morning. And the DPRK and the United
States also held their one-on-one meeting, according to the press center.
"The talks now hinge on the differences on an agreement," said another
official from the ROK delegation, adding that the envoys have held random
contacts on Monday morning in efforts to strike a deal.
"It's hard to say we should be optimistic or pessimistic at present," said
the official Monday morning.
Envoys from 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.
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.
Related:
Six-party talks focus on energy aid, uncertainty remains
for deal
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 cracking hard nuts on third day of six-party
talks
BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Envoys to the six-party
talks on Saturday struggled to decide on the first steps toward denuclearizing
the Korean Peninsula, but no agreement was reached.
The negotiations entered the third day on Saturday as
chief envoys discussed specifics on the initial steps required to implement a
2005 statement.
