Special report: Six-party talks - 3rd phase of 5th round

    

Kim Kye-Gwan, top negotiator from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), arrives in Beijing, capital of China, for the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue Feb. 8, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Zhang Yanhui) Photo Gallery>>>

BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has made due preparation for discussing initial steps of denuclearization during the pending session of six-party talks, DPRK top envoy Kim Kye-gwan said here Thursday.

    Kim made the remarks upon arrival at the airport Thursday. "We are neither optimist nor pessimist because there are still a lot of problems to be resolved," Kim told reporters at the airport.

    "We will judge the success of the talks by the standard that whether the United States will give up hostile policy and follow peaceful coexistence," said Kim.

    The third phase of the fifth round six-party talks is scheduled to open at 16:20, Thursday. All the six delegations to the talks, namely China, DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan and Russia, have been in Beijing.

    Before the opening ceremony, China and DPRK, and ROK and Japan will hold bilateral meetings respectively, followed by a top negotiators' meeting.

    The delegations have held frequent bilateral meetings after arrival, sending messages of high expectation for this session of talks.

Hill denies signing alleged memorandum with DPRK

    BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Top U.S. envoy Christopher Hill on Thursday denied an alleged signing of memorandum at a meeting between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Berlin last month.

    "We had good discussions and want to see what we might do in the next six-party talks. We didn't sign anything," said Hill at a hotel in downtown Beijing.

    Reports claimed the United States and the DPRK inked a memorandum during Berlin talks, agreeing that Pyongyang's first steps toward its denuclearization and U.S. energy support should begin simultaneously.  Full Story

Korean nuke issue envoys continue diplomacy on eve of talks

    BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Five chief negotiators involved in the Korean nuke issue on Wednesday held intensive meetings to pave the way for the six-party talks that will resume in Beijing on Thursday afternoon.

    "Chief Chinese negotiator Wu Dawei held one-on-one talks with his counterparts from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan," sources with the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, without releasing more details.

    The flurry of diplomatic consultations came immediately after the four foreign envoys arrived in Beijing on Wednesday.

    "This is a very important session," top U.S. envoy Christopher Hill told reporters at the Beijing airport. "We all know what we need to accomplish, and we all hope for success." Full Story

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