The United States hope to settle the main questions on the agenda of the six-sided negotiating process on the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear problem that is underway in the Chinese capital, head of the American delegation at the talks Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher R. Hill told today.
“I mean, we’ve come here with three goals in mind. To complete the verification protocol is very important,” Hill told reporters before heading to the second day of talks on Tuesday. “It’s been waiting six months. We also want to complete the schedule of energy, schedule of disablement.”
Japan’s negotiator, Akitaka Saiki, warned that serious disputes still divided North Korea from the other five parties, Reuters reported.
Under a key denuclearisation-for-aid deal, North Korea is currently disabling facilities at the Yongbyon complex, which are capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium. In exchange for the disablement of the complex and the submitting of a list of its nuclear programs, North Korea has been promised energy aid equivalent to a total of 1 million tonnes of heavy fuel oil, the delivery of which has yet to be completed.
Japan will continue to seek bilateral talks with North Korea on the sidelines of the six-party talks on Pyongyang’s denuclearisation taking place in Beijing, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said Tuesday, according to Kyodo news.
