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New hope as N Korea talks resume 'Progress made' in N Korea talks
(about 7 hours later)
A new round of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme has begun in Beijing. The first day of a new round of talks on North Korea's nuclear programme has ended with a hint of progress.
The talks - involving the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the US - come amid hopes of progress after years of stalemate. Diplomats at six-party talks in Beijing said North Korea had agreed to take initial steps towards disarmament.
South Korea's envoy to the talks said all parties - the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the US - agreed on the need for progress and consensus.
The US wants North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, but Pyongyang wants sanctions lifted first.The US wants North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, but Pyongyang wants sanctions lifted first.
Trade and financial sanctions against North Korea were tightened after it carried out a nuclear test in October.Trade and financial sanctions against North Korea were tightened after it carried out a nuclear test in October.
Desire for progressDesire for progress
Debate in Beijing is expected to centre on getting Pyongyang to return to a September 2005 agreement under which the North would agree to end its nuclear programme in return for aid and security guarantees. North Korea's envoy in Beijing, Kim Kye-gwan, said on arrival that Pyongyang was prepared to discuss "first-stage measures".
Analysts say that after years of stop-start negotiations and little concrete progress, the lead-up to this latest meeting has been unusually positive. Delegates want to revive a September 2005 agreement under which the North would agree to end its nuclear programme in return for aid and security guarantees.
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 Food shortage is key Text of September 2005 deal 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 Food shortage is key Text of September 2005 deal The US envoy, Christopher Hill, described the opening day of talks as a "good day", and said hopes were high for a joint statement.
Top US envoy Christopher Hill told reporters on Thursday that he sensed "there is a real desire to have progress". And Chun Yung-woo, South Korea's representative, said the key phase of the talks would come on Friday.
But his North Korean counterpart Kim Kye-kwan said: "I'm not either optimistic or pessimistic, because there are still many points of confrontation to resolve." "Tonight or tomorrow, China is expected to make a draft agreement based on today's keynote speeches and discussions at the plenary session, and pass it on to others," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying.
Part of the reason for analysts' optimism is the reported progress at recent talks between the US and North Korea in Berlin. After years of stop-start negotiations and little concrete progress, analysts said the lead-up to the latest meeting was unusually positive.
Mr Hill said that this new round of negotiations would look at specific issues. Mr Hill told reporters on Thursday that he sensed "there is a real desire to have progress".
"When we do get a set of actions - if we do - it will be widely seen as a very solid, positive step toward implementation," Mr Hill told reporters. But his North Korean counterpart, Mr Kim, said: "There are still many points of confrontation to resolve."
Mr Kim said the US needed to show goodwill to make an agreement possible.
"We are prepared to discuss the initial steps, but the judgement [for the talks] should be based on whether the United States will come forward and abandon its hostile policy against us and co-exist peacefully," he said."We are prepared to discuss the initial steps, but the judgement [for the talks] should be based on whether the United States will come forward and abandon its hostile policy against us and co-exist peacefully," he said.
Food shortageFood shortage
Part of the reason for analysts' optimism is the reported progress at recent talks between the US and North Korea in Berlin.
Reports that the North is enduring a winter food crisis have emerged in recent weeks, a fact which is thought to have changed the dynamics in the run-up to the talks.Reports that the North is enduring a winter food crisis have emerged in recent weeks, a fact which is thought to have changed the dynamics in the run-up to the talks.
Washington has reportedly shown a willingness to sit down and discuss North Korea's demands to lift financial sanctions.Washington has reportedly shown a willingness to sit down and discuss North Korea's demands to lift financial sanctions.
Meanwhile, North Korea reportedly recently told visiting US officials it would take the first steps to disband its nuclear programme in return for 500,000 tonnes of fuel oil and other benefits.Meanwhile, North Korea reportedly recently told visiting US officials it would take the first steps to disband its nuclear programme in return for 500,000 tonnes of fuel oil and other benefits.
Nevertheless, Mr Hill placed the onus back on North Korea as the diplomats gathered ahead of the negotiations.
"The big question is whether the North Koreans are really ready to make some progress," he told reporters.
"I think we also know that there is going to be some rather hard bargaining, so we'll see how we do."