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Korea talks break up without deal | Korea talks break up without deal |
(about 3 hours later) | |
High-level talks between North and South Korea have broken up without agreement after a rift over Seoul's decision to delay rice aid shipments. | High-level talks between North and South Korea have broken up without agreement after a rift over Seoul's decision to delay rice aid shipments. |
Both sides said they would continue to "study issues aimed at promoting peace on the Korean peninsula", but did not give dates for the next round of talks. | |
Seoul has linked resumption of food aid to progress from the North over its pledge to shut down a nuclear reactor. | Seoul has linked resumption of food aid to progress from the North over its pledge to shut down a nuclear reactor. |
But the North has not moved forward due to a dispute involving frozen assets. | But the North has not moved forward due to a dispute involving frozen assets. |
Pyongyang has refused to honour its February promise to "shut down and seal" its Yongbyon reactor until it has access to its funds in a Macau bank. | Pyongyang has refused to honour its February promise to "shut down and seal" its Yongbyon reactor until it has access to its funds in a Macau bank. |
Work has been ongoing since February to unblock the money - which the US had claimed was tied to money laundering and counterfeiting - but the North has still not withdrawn it. | Work has been ongoing since February to unblock the money - which the US had claimed was tied to money laundering and counterfeiting - but the North has still not withdrawn it. |
Issues on hold | Issues on hold |
Although a South Korean official had earlier warned there would no joint declaration, the two sides did produce a four-sentence statement at the close of the talks. | |
They "have sufficiently presented their positions and held sincere discussions on fundamental and actual matters linked to progress in inter-Korean relations," the statement said. | |
Tensions had been expected as the latest round of bilateral talks got under way in Seoul on Tuesday. | |
South Korea insisted it had made clear to the North that its 400,000 tonnes of food aid - the first shipment of which was due in late May - was linked to its February pledge. | South Korea insisted it had made clear to the North that its 400,000 tonnes of food aid - the first shipment of which was due in late May - was linked to its February pledge. |
But Pyongyang is reported to have protested strongly that the two issues were unrelated - and accused "foreign powers" such as the United States of interfering with the rice deal. | But Pyongyang is reported to have protested strongly that the two issues were unrelated - and accused "foreign powers" such as the United States of interfering with the rice deal. |
The stand-off prevented progress on other inter-Korean issues such as the formal opening of cross-border railways and greater economic co-operation. | The stand-off prevented progress on other inter-Korean issues such as the formal opening of cross-border railways and greater economic co-operation. |
There was speculation that the North had threatened to suspend family reunions between North and South Koreans. | There was speculation that the North had threatened to suspend family reunions between North and South Koreans. |
South Korea - which has been anxious to improve ties with its impoverished neighbour through aid and investment - appears to have taken an unusually tough stance, the BBC's Charles Scanlon in Seoul says. | |
But officials in Seoul remain confident that the deadlock will soon be broken, he adds. |
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