Talks on the Korean nuclear issue were deadlocked when the US and North Korea could not agree on the latter's nuclear programs for peaceful purposes -- the key stumbling block in negotiations, reports said.  

North Korean chief delegate Kim Kye-gwan insisted that his country should enjoy the right for peaceful nuclear activities, AFP reported.

The US was the only country opposed to its use of nuclear energy for civilian purposes, such as nuclear power plants, Kim said, but he believed Washington would ultimately be persuaded into supporting Pyongyang position.

The US State Department said last week any nuclear program can be turned into a nuclear weapons project by North Korea, according to the AFP.

"We are here to be committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. However, we want to reserve the right for the peaceful nuclear activities," AFP quoted Kim as saying.

"All nations in the world have the right for the peaceful nuclear activities. North Korea is neither a defeated nation in a war nor a nation having committed any crimes, so why shouldn't we be allowed to use the nuclear power peacefully?" the North Korean diplomat asked in retort.

Another hurdle for talks

Ahead of their 11th day Friday, the talks hit another hurdle -- differences between the North and the US on what steps each side should take to achieve a nuclear weapons free North Korea, AFP cited Kim and others as saying.

In exchange for dismantlement, North Korea has demanded normalization of ties with the US, as well as economic assistance including fuel oil aid, and non-aggression guarantees,

The US has persistently demanded that the North give up its weapons programs before it gets aid and energy.

US chief delegate Christopher Hill indicated Thursday the US wanted detailed commitments from the North.

Kim noted the two countries were still unable to establish mutual trust on the normalization of bilateral ties, but he pledged to continue the talks.

No consensus on joint document as talks entering final stages

With negotiators still unable to agree on the text of their first joint statement, the talks are approaching their final stages, indicated the Chinese delegation's spokesperson Qin Gang yesterday.

"Success is not dependent on the adoption of a joint document," said Qin, adding that the long running negotiations themselves mark progress, with all parties inching ahead toward the denuclearization goal.

He did not disclose details of the reported fourth draft of the joint document proposed by China, which all parties have been discussing since last Saturday.

Acknowledging the existence of different opinions among the six delegations, Qin emphasized that all the negotiators were endeavoring to narrow the differences.

"We've been able to deepen mutual understanding in the talks and there has been no breakdown," he said.

Russia's chief delegate Alexander Alexeyev, who left Beijing for home last weekend but returned to the Chinese capital yesterday for the talks, said he expected the discussions to continue "about one or two more days," the ITAR-Tass News Agency reported.

Despite the lack of an agreement, all sides in the talks want to keep the negotiations going, Hill and others said, AFP reported.

"We are very much getting to the end game. We really have the desire to see if we reach an agreement," Hill said. "I suspect we are really getting to the last couple of days of this."

The fourth round of six-party talks, opened last Tuesday in Beijing, is the longest since the talks were launched in 2003 and has been characterized by frequent one-on-one meetings between Washington and Pyongyang, the most critical participants.

The six parties have held 72 bilateral consultations, exceeding the total number bilateral meetings held during the previous three rounds of the talks.

China have held 14 one-on-one meetings with the US and 11 with North Korea, seven with Japan, six with Russia and four with South Korea, said Qin.

The US and North Korean delegates have so far met nine times, with the latest meeting yesterday reportedly arranged by South Korea.

The two sides might still have the chance to meet again, Qin said.

A collapse of the latest round could prompt Washington to take the issue to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions, according to the AFP report.

The crisis erupted in October 2002 when the US accused the North of running a secretive uranium enrichment program.

(Chinadaily.com.cn August 5, 2005)