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Initial high hopes gave way to frustration on the ninth day of six-party talks on North Korea¡¯s nuclear program on Wednesday, as the Stalinist country¡¯s delegation head failed to show for discussion of yet another draft statement of principles submitted by China overnight.
The six chief negotiators were scheduled to meet at China's request at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for talks to decide on the statement, but North Korea failed to show. After waiting over two hours, the negotiators withdrew from the meeting venue, and the parties had not reconvened.
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U.S chief negotiator at six-party talks on North Korea¡¯s nuclear program Christopher Hill talks to reporters in Beijing on Wednesday.
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"With the exception of North Korea, all the other parties were satisfied with the final draft of the joint statement,¡± a South Korean official said. ¡°We were waiting for North Korea only, but in the end we weren¡¯t told whether Pyongyang had accepted the draft." U.S. chief negotiator Christopher Hill earlier indicated Washington was happy with the new draft. "I would say it is getting to an end-game text," Hill said.
North Korea reportedly objects to a portion of the draft that reads, "North Korea abandons all nuclear weapons and nuclear programs." That would include even peaceful-use nuclear facilities, which it wants to keep.
The parties are said to be considering a two- or three-week adjournment if North Korea rejects the draft statement, which contains six fairly concrete basic principles including the provision of free electricity to North Korea by the South.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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