Monday, December 11, 2006

China says North Korea to resume nuclear talks

Beijing announced Moncay that North Korea will resume talks on its nuclear weapons program starting next week.

The negotiations will be the first after a 13-month boycott by North Korea protesting U.S. financial sanctions. It will also be the first talks since Pyongyang conducted its first nuclear weapon's test on Oct. 9.

North Korea's official newspaper though carried columns recommending that Tokyo not return to the talks because of Japan's sanctions in reaction to the nuclear test. "Even if they do come to the six-party talks, there will be nothing useful, with them making it difficult to solve the issue and wasting time by bringing to the table irrelevant issues,' the Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.

North Korean chief negotiator Kim Gye Gwan, left, and a member of his delegation listen to opening remarks at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on the latest round of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, in this November 9, 2005, file photo. Talks on North Korea's nuclear program will resume in Beijing on Dec. 18, China announced Monday December 11, 2006, as Japan demanded Pyongyang make progress toward abandoning atomic weapons. A resumption would end North Korea's 13-month boycott of the talks in protest over U.S. financial sanctions. (AP Photo/Peter PARKS, POOL, FILE)
North Korean chief negotiator Kim Gye Gwan and a member of his delegation listen to opening remarks at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing in this November 9, 2005, file photo. AP Photo/Peter PARKS, POOL, FILE via Yahoo News.