The six delegations to the ongoing Korean Peninsula nuclear talks have once again expressed their will to work out a common document in a one-hour chief negotiators meeting yesterday evening, said a South Korean official.  

Cho Tai-yong, deputy head of the South Korean delegation to the six-party talks, made the remarks following the chief negotiators meeting.

Cho said the ongoing talks are now in a "critical" period, and delegates of the six parties agreed to keep on the negotiation process in a bid to work out a common document.

He said chief negotiators of the six delegations met for more than half an hour last night, and exchanged opinions on how to move on the talks. Although the process is difficult, they agreed to continue negotiation today and make efforts to work out a common document.

At a press briefing yesterday evening, South Korean chief negotiator Song Min-soon said chief negotiators of the six parties held separate one-on-one meetings Thursday morning to seek breakthrough for the ongoing nuclear talks.

He said in order to narrow differences, the delegations of the US, South and North Korea held a three-hour trilateral meeting Thursday afternoon.

North Korea clearly expounded its stance on the latest draft of the proposed common document during yesterday's bilateral and trilateral negotiations, he said.

The trilateral meeting was held in a "candid" atmosphere, said Song, declining to give any details about the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2005)