Some Progress Reported in US-North Korea Nuclear Talks

American and North Korean diplomats were entering their second day of direct talks Tuesday, with the top U.S. envoy reporting some progress in narrowing differences over Pyongyang's nuclear program. In a closely watched round of talks in Geneva, the second direct encounter between the two parties in less than three months, diplomats from both sides are trying to determine whether the so-called six-party nuclear talks, which include China, Japan, Russia and South Korea in addition to North Korea and the United States, can resume.

But the top U.S. envoy, Stephen Bosworth, acknowledged late Monday night that the discussions are also touching on all other long-standing issues, such as food aid for the North, families long separated on the Korean peninsula and the remains of troops missing in action. The U.S. and North Korea are still technically at war.

The U.N.'s top relief official, Valerie Amos, said Monday after visiting North Korea that it was «not appropriate» for the nuclear talks in Switzerland to extend to humanitarian assistance to the chronically hungry Asian country because that aid «must be kept separate from a political agenda». The U.N. is calling on countries to provide $218 million in emergency aid to North Korea. The U.S. ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency said, «I think we're moving in a positive direction. We have narrowed some differences, but we still have differences that we have to resolve».

«As you know, our goal is to try to find a solid foundation on which to launch a resumption of discussions both bilateral and multilateral, and we will continue to work hard to bring that about», he said. «We have made some progress, we have issues still to resolve and we will work hard to do that».

U.S. diplomats want North Korea to adhere to a 2005 agreement it reneged on requiring verifiable denuclearization in exchange for better relations with its Asian neighbors. China, North Korea's closest ally, has urged Pyongyang to improve its strained ties with the United States and South Korea.

Beijing wants to revive the stalled six-nation disarmament negotiations. North Korea walked out of the talks in 2009 – and exploded a second nuclear-test device – but now wants to re-engage. Last year, Pyongyang also was blamed for two military attacks on South Korea that heightened tensions on the peninsula.

25/10/2011, The Guardian

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