North Korean leader committed to talks - Russian envoy
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-13 11:17

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is committed to multinational talks on his country's nuclear programme, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday after returning from a trip to the country.

At talks last month in Beijing -- featuring North Korea, South Korea, Russia, Japan, China and the United States -- all sides agreed to a set of principles for the North to dismantle its nuclear plans and receive energy and economic aid.

However, North Korean demands for a light water nuclear reactor before it ends its weapons programme -- unacceptable to Washington -- have prevented full agreement.

Konstantin Pulikovsky, Putin's aide in the Far Eastern Russian region that borders North Korea, said Kim was committed to the deal reached in Beijing.

"Kim Jong-il supported all deals reached in the course of the six-party process. In his opinion, it is now time to talk about the actual fulfilment of these obligations by all sides," Interfax news agency quoted Pulikovsky as saying.

Pulikovsky, who attended Monday's celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of North Korea's Communist Party, said the 63-year-old North Korean leader was in excellent health.

"He looks great, sprightly and jolly," he said.

The next round of six-party talks is scheduled for early November.