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No Breakthrough in N. Korea Nuclear Talks

Posted on: Friday, 14 March 2008, 03:00 CDT

U.S. and North Korean negotiators, meeting in Switzerland, reportedly failed to break their impasse on the North's declaration of its nuclear programs.

The meeting between Christopher Hill and his North Korea counterpart Kim Kye Gwan lasted all day, but Yonhap news agency quoted the U.S. side as saying the North refused to fully disclose its nuclear activity.

Hill, however, did not rule out a breakthrough eventually.

It was good consultations but we are not there yet, Hill told reporters, adding there were no plans for talks to continue Friday.

The North Korean negotiator expressed satisfaction with the talks but gave no details.

Besides the United States and North Korea, other members in the six party talks are Russia, China, Japan and South Korea. The talks require North Korea to give up is nuclear program in return for hefty economic aid.

As part of the deal, North Korea has been dismantling its main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, but the rest of the effort is stuck on the North providing a full disclosure of all of its nuclear programs.

A list it submitted last November was rejected by the United States as it did not disclose North Korea's uranium enrichment program and its nuclear cooperation with Syria, charges which the North denies.

There had been optimism for a breakthrough on speculation the U.S. objections may be dealt with in a separate forum, Yonhap reported.

Source: United Press International

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