The issue of the demand of North Korea for a light-water reactor and the scope of nuclear dismantlement remain the two crucial differences in the current phase of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Song Min-soon, chief negotiator of South Korea, made the remarks in Beijing on Wednesday.

Song told reporters since the resumption of the talks Tuesday that the parties have held a series of bilateral meetings to preview each other's positions. It is premature to judge the progress of the talks now, he said.

The demand of North Korea for a power-generating light-water reactor and the scope of dismantlement of its nuclear programs are the sticking points of the talks, Song said.

With regard to South Korea-US and North Korea-South Korea bilateral contacts, the three parties have overlapping as well as diverging interests, he acknowledged. They will continue to exert efforts to narrow differences and expand consensus through consultations.

The positions of the US and South Korea are "not fixed," Song noted, adding the two sides are coordinating their stances to promote progress in the talks.

In the ensuing meetings, Song said, the parties will continue to hold bilateral consultations according to their needs and attend group meetings arranged by China, the host.

He said the meeting has yet to enter the stage of formulating a common document, saying that China is collecting opinions from all the parties in verbal or written forms.

The South Korean delegation held bilateral meetings with Russian and Japanese delegations successively on Wednesday morning, and had a two-hour luncheon with the US delegation for a consultation.

North Korea insisted on the right to have a civilian nuclear program including building a light-water reactor, while the US wanted full dismantlement of its nuclear program.

The fourth round of six-party talks, involving China, North Korea, the US, South Korea, Russia and Japan, resumed Tuesday after a five-week recess.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2005)