The heads of delegations to the six-party talks concluded their brief meeting to discuss the wording of the draft common document in Beijing Sunday morning, and observers noted this might be signaling the ending of the marathon negotiation.

 

Before the meeting, the Japanese delegation said there still was a chance for the six parties to reach an agreement though the US side claimed differences still existed.

 

Sunday's meeting might be a "crucial one" for this round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, said Kenichiro Sasae, the Japanese delegation head, before leaving the hotel for the delegation heads' meeting.

 

A plenary session was originally planned for Sunday, which was postponed. The delegations were supposed to offer their views on the draft common document Saturday afternoon.

 

The delegation heads met Saturday afternoon, but failed to reach an agreement on the draft before they decided to continue their meeting Sunday morning.

 

US chief negotiator Christopher Hill said Sunday morning the differences between the delegations remained.

 

"The issue is how we express the elements in the text," said Hill, also US assistant secretary of state, adding that the US delegation prefers a less ambiguous text.

 

"But we are trying to work with it, and we are really trying to reach something with it. We are setting principles, but being in general principles doesn't mean you create ambiguities and lead the way to confusion and lead the way to problems in the future," Hill said.

 

Although the Japanese chief negotiator claimed chance for an agreement, he did not elaborate whether or not the meeting will enter another recess.

 

"To take a recess is one of the options, and there are other ways," he said.

 

Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo said Saturday the draft common document China presented is the "most realistic" scenario for the parties to reach a consensus on settling the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2005)