The Beijing six-party
talks to try to end the DPRK nuclear standoff concluded in Beijing
Friday, with all agreeing to meet again within months.
All six parties to the
Beijing six-party talks on Korean nuclear issue pledged to study
the propositions and plans put forward during the talks and
maintain consultations to expand common ground, said sources with
the Chinese delegation Friday.
In a tried and tested
proposal, DPRK's KCNA news agency said Pyongyang had suggested
dismantling its nuclear program in return for a non-aggression
treaty with the United States.
US Assistant Secretary
of State James Kelly kept his cards close to his chest but gave no
indication of a shift and diplomats said the discussions were an
opportunity for all sides to lay out their positions and not a
forum for negotiation.
The only result came
when host China said all six countries -- the two Koreas, Japan,
Russia, the United States and China -- were in agreement to work
toward a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear arms and would meet again
within two months.
Host Beijing, keen to be
midwife to some form of result from the highest-level talks since
the nuclear standoff erupted 10 months ago, said all sides
"explained their principled stands and proposals on resolving the
Korean nuclear issue."
"They also 'frankly'
exchanged views," the Xinhua news agency said in a brief
dispatch.
The crisis may require
many more rounds of talks because the United States, which says
Pyongyang may already have one or two nuclear weapons, is looking
for a commitment that DPRK will scrap its program before making any
concessions.
DPRK Repeats
Terms
DPRK's junior deputy
foreign minister, Kim Yong-il, said on the second day that
Pyongyang may carry out a test and could declare itself a nuclear
power, according to US officials.
DPRK stood firm,
reiterating that it would not build nuclear arms only in return for
a non-aggression treaty with the United States.
"We can give up the
nuclear program if the United States drops its hostile policy
toward DPRK," Kim Yong-il said in a speech released by the DPRK's
official KCNA news agency.
"If the United States
continues to demand we drop the nuclear program first and ignores
our appropriate proposals, we have no choice but to beef up our
nuclear deterrent power," Kim said.
DPRK wants a package
including a non-aggression treaty, diplomatic relations with the
United States, KCNA said.
"In return, the DPRK
will not manufacture nuclear weapons and allow in inspection,
realize the ultimate dismantlement of nuclear facilities and stop
the export and experiment of missiles," it said.
The agreement on more
talks can be seen as a success after the three days of talks.
Negotiations involving China, the United States and DPRK broke up
amid anger last April.
The United States says
Pyongyang has one or two nuclear weapons and is nearing the
capability to produce more.
Such a development would
destabilize Northeast Asia, possibly prompt an arms
race.
DPRK, which US President
Bush has named part of an "axis of evil" with pre-war Iraq and
Iran, maintains it has a right to a nuclear deterrent to fend off
"US hostility."
(China Daily August 29,
2003)