China proposes new draft at nuke talks (AP) Updated: 2005-08-02 07:36
The U.S. envoy to nuclear talks with North Korea said Monday that China has
proposed a new draft of a joint statement after weekend discussions were snarled
by the North's demands for what it should receive in exchange for disarming, the
AP reported.
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Christopher Hill, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State and chief
negotiator for the six-party talks, at his hotel in Beijing August 1,
2005. Delegates toiled in vain on August 1, failing to thrash out a
consensus statement laying down even minimal principles for an eventual
settlement. [newsphoto] | The new draft, submitted
late Sunday, "reflected all sides' modifications" to the first Chinese-written
draft, said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill. He wouldn't give
any details, but said, "I think the process is going forward rather well."
Deputy heads of delegations discussed the new proposal for 3 1/2 hours
Monday, South Korea's No. 2 nuclear envoy said.
"Some issues have been sorted out but there remain many issues that we should
continue to work on," Cho Tae-yong said. "We are moving steadily forward."
Chief delegates will discuss the draft Tuesday, he said.
The statement of basic principles is meant to lay the basis for future talks
aimed at ending the three-year-old standoff over demands that the North give up
nuclear development. The talks involve the two Koreas, the United States, Japan,
host China and Russia.
The United States and North Korea also held direct talks twice Monday, said a
South Korean official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not
authorized to talk to the media for attribution. The frequent and in-depth
discussions between Washington and Pyongyang have been a big change from
previous six-nation talks.
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