Six-way nuclear talks look set to resume

SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- The long-delayed resumption of six-party talks on
North Korea's nuclear program appears to be imminent as outgoing U.S. President
George W. Bush is pushing to pass a workable denuclearization mechanism to his
successor, Barack Obama, South Korean officials said Sunday.
During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru, Bush
successfully drummed up international support for another round of the
negotiations before he leaves office in January, according to his spokesperson.
Bush launched the six-way talks in 2003 as an alternative to the Clinton
administration's direct diplomacy with the North.
Seoul officials said the ball is now in North Korea's court, given Bush's push to
persuade Pyongyang back to the negotiating table. The talks involve the two
Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia, and Japan.
"I think North Korea will agree to the opening of the six-way talks before
President Bush's term ends, as it is interested in receiving energy aid," a
senior Foreign Ministry official said.
White House spokeswoman Dena Perino said Saturday that a new round of six-way
talks will likely be held in early December, a session certain to focus on
formalizing a verification process for the communist regime's June declaration of
its nuclear program. Bush held a series of meetings with the countries' leaders
on the sidelines of the APEC summit.
"We don't have a date to announce yet but there is an agreement to have a meeting
and so we're just working to make sure everyone's schedules work out before the
(host) Chinese would announce anything as to the timing," Perino said.
It is welcome news for nuclear negotiators struggling to complete the second of
the three-tier denuclearization process agreed to last year. Under the second
phase, the North has been slowly disabling its main nuclear facilities in
Yongbyon while the other five nations have been shipping fuel oil and
energy-related materials as incentive.
Doomsayers said it would be difficult to wrap up the current stage during the
remainder of Bush's tenure, taking issue with an ambiguous deal between Pyongyang
and Washington on the verification procedures.
Upon removing North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism in
October, the U.S. State Department said that Pyongyang approved the use of
"scientific procedures, including sampling and forensic activities."
But North Korea has denied the U.S. claim. The North's Foreign Ministry said
earlier this month in a statement that verification procedures it agreed to with
Washington in October were confined to "field visits, confirmation of documents
and interviews with technicians."
If the nuclear talks resume, high on the agenda will be signing a verification
protocol and fixing a timetable for completing the second phase, officials aid.
The last round of negotiations was held in July.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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