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No movement in N Korea-US talks | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
North Korean and US officials are continuing one-to-one negotiations on the sidelines of six-nation talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear activities. | |
US envoy Christopher Hill said he was neither optimistic nor pessimistic about the talks, under way in Beijing. | |
Mr Hill said he had held business-like talks with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Kye-gwan, on Tuesday with some healthy exchanges of views. | |
The summit follows North Korea's first nuclear test on 9 October this year. | |
"At this point I don't want to say I am pessimistic or optimistic. I just don't know where we are going to end up or when we are going to end up," Mr Hill said. | |
N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weaponsBut not thought to have any small enough to put in a missileCould try dropping from plane, though world watching closely href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6182621.stm" class="">Low hopes for talks href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4259176.stm" class="">Text of September 2005 deal href="/1/hi/puffbox/scheduler/6193635.inc" class="">Talks absorb regional press | |
No end date has been set for the six-nation talks, which began on Monday, but Mr Hill said that delegates - from China, Japan, Russia, the US and the two Koreas - should start working on a draft agreement if they hope to make any progress. | |
US treasury officials also met their North Korean counterparts on Tuesday to discuss US financial sanctions imposed a year ago - which Pyongyang demands to be lifted. | |
The US wants to revive a deal reached in September 2005, under which Pyongyang agreed to abandon its nuclear programme in return for US security guarantees and aid. | The US wants to revive a deal reached in September 2005, under which Pyongyang agreed to abandon its nuclear programme in return for US security guarantees and aid. |
Pyongyang insists it wants the US to lift its restrictions - imposed two months after the September deal - on a Macau-based bank, which holds $24m of the regime's money. | Pyongyang insists it wants the US to lift its restrictions - imposed two months after the September deal - on a Macau-based bank, which holds $24m of the regime's money. |
The US blacklisted the bank in November 2005, saying it was linked to alleged money-laundering and counterfeiting by Pyongyang. | The US blacklisted the bank in November 2005, saying it was linked to alleged money-laundering and counterfeiting by Pyongyang. |
The move prompted Pyongyang to walk out of the talks, only agreeing to return after it had carried out a nuclear test on 9 October. | The move prompted Pyongyang to walk out of the talks, only agreeing to return after it had carried out a nuclear test on 9 October. |
Altered demands | Altered demands |
North Korea was in a defiant mood when it returned to the negotiating table on Monday. | |
In his opening statement, chief envoy Kim Kye-gwan said Pyongyang would not consider halting its nuclear programme unless both the US financial restrictions and UN sanctions - the latter imposed after its nuclear test - were lifted. | In his opening statement, chief envoy Kim Kye-gwan said Pyongyang would not consider halting its nuclear programme unless both the US financial restrictions and UN sanctions - the latter imposed after its nuclear test - were lifted. |
He also repeated North Korea's demand for a nuclear reactor to generate energy. | He also repeated North Korea's demand for a nuclear reactor to generate energy. |
And he said Pyongyang was unconcerned that other countries did not accept its newly demonstrated nuclear status. | And he said Pyongyang was unconcerned that other countries did not accept its newly demonstrated nuclear status. |
Despite the talking, no-one holds out much hope for any kind of breakthrough, the BBC's James Reynolds in Beijing says. | Despite the talking, no-one holds out much hope for any kind of breakthrough, the BBC's James Reynolds in Beijing says. |
Leadership question | Leadership question |
Meanwhile, a South Korean parliamentary report has suggested that divisions in North Korea over the successor to leader Kim Jong-il lay behind October's nuclear test. | Meanwhile, a South Korean parliamentary report has suggested that divisions in North Korea over the successor to leader Kim Jong-il lay behind October's nuclear test. |
Kim Jong-il agreed to the test to win military support for the eventual transfer of power to one of his sons, the report by the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee said. | Kim Jong-il agreed to the test to win military support for the eventual transfer of power to one of his sons, the report by the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee said. |
"The fundamental task that North Korea has to address right now is not to overcome economic difficulties or establish diplomatic relations or a peace treaty with the US," the report said. | "The fundamental task that North Korea has to address right now is not to overcome economic difficulties or establish diplomatic relations or a peace treaty with the US," the report said. |
Its priority is "to stabilise the North's system through completing the designing" of the next leadership, it said. | Its priority is "to stabilise the North's system through completing the designing" of the next leadership, it said. |
The report also said the 64-year-old leader may begin the slow transfer of power to his son as early as next year. It did not say which of his three known sons it might be. | The report also said the 64-year-old leader may begin the slow transfer of power to his son as early as next year. It did not say which of his three known sons it might be. |