Japan's top negotiator Kenichiro Sasae said Thursday that the
current situation of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula
nuclear issue remained "severe," referring to the financial issue
as the sticking point.
"The situation of the talks remains severe, and there is no
prospect of breakthrough up to now," Sasae told reporters in the
hotel.
North Korea "holds a very strong position on the financial
issue, which is currently the biggest difficulty in the talks,"
Sasae said.
Financial sanction imposed on North Korea was one of the key
stumbling blocks that had stalled the six-party talks for the past
13 months. The talks involving China, North and South Korea, the
US, Japan and Russia resumed on Monday.
The purpose of the six-party talks is to realize
denuclearization of Korean Peninsula, said Sasae, adding that North
Korea should display positive gesture to meet the purpose and
implement the September 19 statement.
The ongoing talks focus on the implementation of the joint
statement in September 2005, under which North Korea agreed to
abandon its nuclear program in exchange for economic aid and
security guarantees.
(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2006)