After two weeks of intense and grueling negotiations, the fourth round of six-party talks has been put on hold. The negotiations have been fruitful and extraordinary because they have increased consensus and narrowed differences. 

Suspension does not mean failure. On the contrary, it is merely a much-needed and well-deserved rest during which all sides will be able to prepare for the next phase.

It is important to note that this is a decision to suspend, not end, the talks. They will continue.

The first phase was flexible in that it was open-ended. The suspension of such important international negotiations is natural at this point. The delegates have limited power and must take time to consult with their respective governments before responding to what is put on the table.

This round of talks has been more successful and profound than the previous three. As Wu Dawei, head of the Chinese delegation, said yesterday, the fourth round has been "serious, practical and deep strengthening understanding, expanding consensus and making active progress."

"The six parties restated the goal of achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula with peaceful means and have agreed to produce a joint document on that, and the talks dealt with this in depth and yielded common grounds," said Wu, also vice-minister of foreign affairs.

This is unprecedented.

The complexity of the matter means the negotiating process will be long and gradual. When the fourth round started, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing appealed to all sides to show patience as well as confidence.

The recent talks have put this gradual approach to the test. All sides have been taking in the others' views a bit at a time, climbing the slope to resolution step by step.

North Korea and the US have been more flexible and pragmatic than ever before, changing position little by little.

This round of negotiations has seen significant topics tackled in greater depth than in any of the previous rounds. Each side has deciphered the motivations of the others, and has begun to understand obstacles. This, undoubtedly, has laid the foundations for the next phase of talks and for the complete resolution of the nuclear standoff.

The first phase of this round has been earnest and difficult. The talks are about winning for everyone, not getting one nation over another.

There were not many multilateral meetings held during the first phase, but a host of bilateral gatherings, especially between the North Korean delegates and those representing the US. Their exchanges were intense and discussions exhaustive.

Yet the countries were not able to resolve all of their differences over a few crucial points, which is understandable.

They have not reached a consensus on North Korea's abandoning its nuclear program. Pyongyang insists on retaining its right to nuclear energy while Washington has demanded that it give up all nuclear ambitions, including those for civil applications.

The six-party talks have provided a convenient platform for the two countries. But interactions are still hostile, and the parties do not fully trust each other, which is why the multilateral mechanism is needed.

The forum has helped the two countries build up the basic trust that is needed for communication and eventually consensus.

Relations between North Korea and the US have not yet been normalized.

As the host, China has acted as a facilitator as well as seizing the initiative and playing a part in negotiations. Chinese delegates have held multiple bilateral meetings and, to keep up momentum, have proposed a joint document of which four drafts have been tabled.

Participants from all sides have discussed the Chinese drafts and exchanged opinions. Although the document has not yet been finalized, all sides see it as a viable option. This, in itself, is important progress.

The US seems to be leaning toward requesting a timetable for resolution. This would not help matters. To solve the problem, what is needed is a "roadmap," not a timetable.

This is a complicated matter with important implications that will not be solved in the blink of an eye.

Not only must the fundamental objectives of the talks be clarified, but concrete steps must be taken to achieve them. The fourth round should set out the steps of the roadmap.

This round is not yet over. Nobody wants the talks to end in failure because no one could bear the cost of giving up halfway. All sides, especially North Korea and the US, should come back to the negotiating table in three weeks with developed plans and more zest. China, as usual, will do its best to make the fourth round a success.

(China Daily August 8, 2005)