US & North Korea fail to reach an agreement
MIL/Zee News, Dec 21, 2006.
Beijing, December 21, 2006 - Even as the US and North Korea failed to reach an agreement on lifting the sanctions on Pyongyang's alleged money laundering issue, top American negotiator Christopher Hill on Thursday indicated that six-party talks were "moving into the phase that things will start appearing on paper".
On he fourth day of the talks, Hill told reporters that today he will discuss with the Chinese side about a written statement on the outcome of the latest round of talks.
Hill will also meet with delegations of Japan and South Korea this afternoon.
"I assume, not scheduled yet, to see the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)," he said, referring to North Korea by its official name.As to the financial disputes between the United States and North Korea, Hill reiterated that the financial issue was separate from the denuclearisation issue.
The second phase of the fifth round of six-party talks to peacefully dismantle North Korea's nuclear assets resumed after a 13-month hiatus here on Monday. The negotiations involve China, North Korea, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Russia. They are trying to find a diplomatic solution to dismantle Pyongyang's nuclear assets.
US Treasury Department's Deputy Assistant Secretary Daniel Glaser had left here today for home after holding talks with President of North Korea's Foreign Trade Bank O Kwang Chol on Tuesday and Wednesday in the US Embassy and North Korean embassy respectively.
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