Envoys in North Korean nuclear dispute agree to meet again

BEIJING -- Envoys ended six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program Saturday with a promise to discuss steps toward dismantling it and to meet again by September, but they cautioned that the U.S. and North Korean positions remained far apart.

The four-day talks produced no breakthroughs, but diplomats said they agreed to discuss how to define the North's initial moves toward disarmament, how they would be monitored and what kind of aid the impoverished nation could expect in return.

"The problems start from here," said Japan's chief delegate, Mitoji Yabunaka. "This is the first step, at the entrance. From now starts the work on concrete measures."

A key issue appeared to be how far North Korea had to go to qualify for energy aid and other benefits offered by Washington, which is demanding that the North dismantle the program completely.

Other participants were China, Russia and South Korea.

"It's difficult to say this round of talks was a big success, but there was a progress somewhat with the United States showing a forthcoming attitude," said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Seoul's Dongguk University.

"The talks won't end with one or two more meetings," said Koh. "But I think there will be progress little by little in the future because they were able to make general outlines."

Two previous rounds of six-nation talks, held at a walled government guesthouse in Beijing, produced no major progress on the stated goal of North Korea's negotiating partners: a nuclear weapon-free Korean Peninsula.

North Korea offered this week to freeze its nuclear program in exchange for energy, the lifting of U.S. economic sanctions and removal from Washington's list of countries that sponsor terrorism.

The North said the freeze would be a step toward eventual dismantling.

The U.S. proposal requires the North to go further, disclosing all its nuclear activities, helping to dismantle facilities and allowing outside monitoring. That plan would withhold some benefits for later to ensure the North cooperates.

A statement Saturday by China, the meeting's chairman, said the parties "agreed in principle to hold the fourth round of the six-party talks in Beijing by the end of September 2004."

Lower-level discussions will be held "at the earliest possible date to define the scope, duration and verification ... for first steps for denuclearization," as well as compensation for the North, the statement said.

China canceled a closing ceremony scheduled for Saturday and titled the final declaration a "chairman's statement," rather than a joint statement -- signaling how far apart the negotiators were.

Despite their differences, the South Korean envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck, was optimistic, saying the talks involved "substantial discussions" of the competing U.S. and North Korean proposals.

But China's envoy said there were "a number of differences and even opposing ideas" between Washington and Pyongyang, which have no official relations.

"There is still a serious lack of mutual trust," Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

North Korea and the United States have been at odds for years over the North's nuclear weapons program.

The latest dispute flared in October 2002, when U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly said North Korean officials told him it had a secret program in violation of a 1994 agreement.

The North then expelled U.N. nuclear inspectors, withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and restarted an idle nuclear reactor.

Washington and its allies retaliated by cutting off aid that had been supplying the energy-starved North with 500,000 tons of free oil per year and stopped work on two promised nuclear power plants.

North Korea said its freeze offer this week covered all nuclear weapons programs and included a pledge not to make, transfer or test nuclear weapons.

But it said Washington had to take part in providing energy aid -- a step that isn't included in the U.S. proposal.

"If the United States gives up its hostile policy toward us ... we are prepared to give up in a transparent way all plans related to nuclear weapons," a North Korean official said on Friday.