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A lull fell over six-party talks on North Korea¡¯s nuclear program in Beijing on Thursday after Pyongyang reportedly turned up its nose at a draft statement of principles a day earlier. A meeting of chief negotiators was called off and there were no bilateral contacts between the U.S. and North Korea as the other parties simply watched what the Stalinist country would do.
Chinese chief negotiator Wu Dawei met with the chief negotiators of North and South Korea, the U.S., Japan and Russia at the Diaoyutai State Guest House from 9:30 a.m., discussing how to deal with North Korea's refusal and move talks forward.
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Journalists gather around the North Korean Embassy in Beijing in search of breaking news late on Wednesday night after the country failed to show up for a meeting of chief negotiators at six-party talks on its nuclear program./Yonhap
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U.S. chief negotiator Christopher Hill left the venue as soon as his talks with Wu ended, telling reporters, "I don't see any reason to meet the North Koreans." But he urged Pyongyang to reconsider and said the country "has got to make one very basic decision.¡±
The South Korean delegation looked somber. "We will continue quiet negotiations,¡± chief negotiator Song Min-soon said. ¡°It seems we'll have to wait a little while longer to see." Russian chief negotiator Alexander Alexeyev, who suddenly returned to Russia on July 30 to take care of urgent business, returned to Beijing on Thursday. Alexeyev said the talks would continue for another day or two.
The North Korean delegation avoided contact with the outside, waiting until evening to meet with reporters to explain its position. Then, the North stressed its right to use nuclear energy peacefully, the main snag in the latest draft as the U.S. wants Pyongyang to give up all nuclear programs and facilities, but vowed to keep working for an agreement at all cost.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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