N. Korea-US nuclear talks

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4225048.stm


N Korea nuclear talks to resume



The general view of the six-party talks meeting at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Archive picture
The six-nation talks still have a lot to resolve
Six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme will resume on 13 September, according to hosts China.

The talks, now in their fourth round, were supposed to restart last week but were delayed by North Korea in protest at US-South Korean military exercises.

The multi-national negotiations are aimed at persuading Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions.

The fact that the latest round of talks has gone on so long has raised hopes of some kind of progress.

They continued for 13 days in July and August before apparently reaching a deadlock, when delegates decided to take a recess, promising to reconvene after a short time.


CRISIS TIMELINE
Oct 2002: US says North Korea is enriching uranium in violation of agreements
Dec 2002: North Korea removes UN seals from Yongbyon nuclear reactor, expels inspectors
Feb 2003: IAEA refers North Korea to UN Security Council
Aug 2003: First round of six-nation talks begins in Beijing
Feb 2005: Pyongyang says it has built nuclear weapons for self-defence

Timeline: Nuclear crisis

But North Korea then delayed, blaming military drills taking place between the US and South Korea.

Analysts said Pyongyang may have wanted to stall the talks so it could assess the outcome of Chinese President Hu Jintao's planned visit to Washington, although this was later cancelled as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

The agreement to resume talks follows the visit of two US Congressmen to Pyongyang, Democrat Tom Lantos and Republican Jim Leach.

Sticking points

When the talks resume, delegates are likely to face an uphill battle, with many issues yet to resolve.

Part of the reason for the deadlock was North Korea's insistence on maintaining a civilian nuclear programme.

The US has argued that it wants all the North's nuclear facilities dismantled - whether for making weapons or producing energy.

But chief US envoy Christopher Hills indicated late last month that Washington was now prepared to be flexible on that issue, saying that if the North wanted to reclaim access to nuclear energy, that was "not exactly a showstopper issue".

The timing of North Korea's proposed disarmament is another major hurdle which delegates need to resolve.

Pyongyang wants to receive aid and diplomatic incentives before the process is completed, but the US insists all nuclear facilities are dismantled before any kind of concessions are made.



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gee, i guess Rumsfeld shouldn't have sold them all those reactors huh?

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nm, i forgot it was anti-american to talk about business deals involving cabinet members prior to Bush's first election

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Hmm, i DO remember, Our George W. Bush, saying something a couple of years ago how we would not comply or negotiate with any of the "axis of evil"

that we would have "zero tolerance"


Did i dream this? Am i really this anti-american?