The three countries are to inform China around Monday of the details of the joint statement, and hope to receive an answer from North Korea on its willingness to participate in the second round of the six-way talks. The news is to be delivered to North Korea through Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo or Fu Ying, the director-general at the Asian American Bureau of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, who are scheduled to visit Pyongyang this weekend.

A high official at the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that the three countries reached an agreement by including the three principles to solving North Korea's nuclear crisis, and by revising "simultaneous measures" that North Korea has constantly demanded to "coordinated steps." "Coordinated steps" means that after North Korea first declares that it will abandon its nuclear weapons program, all six countries can then figure out how it might be compensated.

The official said that in the joint statement, clauses such as “the five countries will guarantee no nuclear threat or attack against North Korea,” and “all six states shall not commit any demeanors that would worsen or heighten tensions during the six-way nuclear talks,” would be included.

Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck said that the three countries decided to make the joint statement as concise as possible, and include things that all six countries can agree on. Since North Korea has not seen the draft nor declared its position on the document, and the U.S. representatives have not yet reported it to President George Bush, it is inappropriate to disclose the details of the statement, Lee said. (Kwon Kyung-bok, kkb@chosun.com )