US top nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill Saturday said the
Banco Delta Asia (BDA) issue would not be a problem for the process
of the six-party talks.
"I don't believe we would have any problem with the BDA issue,"
Hill said at a hotel in Beijing Saturday night.
North Korea would not shut down the Yongbyon nuclear reactor if
the United States did not first lift financial bans on North Korea
accounts in the BDA, a Macao-based bank, North Korea chief
negotiator Kim Kye-Gwan said upon arrival in Beijing Saturday
morning.
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Hill, who arrived Wednesday, said, "I think we have a way out that
should meet their needs," but added he did not want to go into
details.
Hill attended the denuclearization working group meeting
Saturday. He said it was a good day and things were "on schedule"
and he briefed the members of the North Korea delegation on the BDA
issue.
"I gave them some details and facts about the case that we
didn't brief before," Hill said. "I do believe we will fulfill our
commitment on BDA."
He said North Korea gave a statement that is very balanced and
indicated they are under way and fulfilling their obligations.
On the HEU (Highly Enriched Uranium) issue, Hill said he raised
the issue Saturday. "We had an agreement with North Korea that we
would be discussing this issue and would solve it to mutual
satisfactions."
He said he expected to schedule a time and a venue for the
discussion of HEU issue on Sunday and Monday.
"I would like to finalize that plan, because it is very
important to resolve the matter at the outset of the next phase,"
Hill said.
Hill said the denuclearization working group meeting will
continue on Sunday and he may have some bilateral meetings.
The fresh round of six-party talks, involving China, North
Korea, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Russia, are
scheduled to open on Monday. Besides Kim and Hill, chief
negotiators of South Korea and Japan have also arrived in
Beijing.
(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2007)
