South Korean top negotiator Chun Yung-woo said yesterday that
there is no breakthrough for the six-party talks on the Korean
Peninsula nuclear issue, but all sides have nailed down their
difference.
"Identifying differences itself can be seen as positive
progress," said Chun when dinning with the US and Japanese top
envoys yesterday evening.
Chun said the key to the talks lies in whether "substantive
progress" will be made.
US negotiator Christopher Hill said yesterday that the second
phase of the talks will end today.
Hill said the US delegation will hold another one-on-one meeting
with the North Korean delegation today and leave Beijing tomorrow
morning.
Although the talks are expected to end today, the prospect
remains misty.
The ongoing talks focus on the implementation of the joint
statement, under which North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear
program in exchange for economic aid and security guarantees.
The talks involving China, the US, Japan, Russia, North and
South Korea resumed Monday.
(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2006)