Six-party talks totter into no man's land
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-08-04 07:00

"The United States and North Korea remain far apart over their positions on key issues," said one Japanese delegate.

With tensions high, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke by telephone on Wednesday. The Foreign Ministry said the pair had exchanged views on Sino-U.S. relations and "issues of common concern."

NARROWING DIFFERENCES

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said the sides had been narrowing their differences over a possible joint text but it was unclear whether negotiations would bear fruit.

"I think we're really getting to the end of the negotiating process," Hill said.

"I'm not going to predict that it's over today or tomorrow, I just don't know, but certainly in terms of the negotiating process for this past 10 days, I think we are getting to the end of this," he added.

Top South Korean envoy Song Min-soon said the latest Chinese draft statement contained points on the North's dismantling of the programs and matching measures by the other parties.

Other points included supplying the energy-strapped North with heavy fuel oil and electricity, a provision on the peaceful use of nuclear energy by Pyongyang, and normalisation of its relations with the United States and Japan.

Seoul's Yonhap news agency said it also contained points on security guarantees and verification.

Intelligence experts estimate the North Koreans have stockpiled enough plutonium for up to nine nuclear weapons.