The one-on-one negotiations between the US and North Korea yesterday dominated the news about the third day of the nuclear talks concerning the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization.  

The "lengthy" meeting in the morning, the third during the latest round of talks, lasted about three hours, and were meant "to touch upon the core issues" of the denuclearization between the two main players of six-party talks, Chinese analysts said.

"If we can say that in the former two meetings the two sides had stated their positions and differences, then in this meeting they should have begun consultation on how to resolve the differences," said Jin Canrong, a professor on international politics with the Renmin University of China.

"That means the talks have come to a substantial phase," he said.

Unlike previous rounds of talks, the fourth round is characterized by dense one-on-one consultations.

On July 25, a day before the latest round was opened, the US and North Korean delegations met for one hour and 15 minutes. The following day they met for the second time, which was described as "long," "good," and "businesslike" by US officials.

Other parties of the talks also attached great importance on the one-on-one meetings between the US and North Korea.

Japan's chief negotiator Kenichiro Sasae said their talks would determine the course of the ensuing negotiations.

Russian delegation head Alexander Alexeyev said the meeting may influence the result of the six-party talks to a large extent.

Chinese delegation spokesperson Qin Gang said the US-North Korea consultations were held in a "tranquil and calm" manner and will make the talks "deeper and more pragmatic."

A US official said earlier that the two sides will hold one more consultation on Friday.

Analysts said North Korea and the US still have a lot of issues about which they disagree. On the definition of "denuclearization," North Korea insists that the US side should eliminate its nuclear threat against it, including its "nuclear umbrella" for South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.

North Korea is not "fully satisfied" with the proposal the US made in June 2004 and worries about who should take the first step. It is also afraid that it has taken on too many obligations while the other parties will not carry corresponding measures.

Christopher Hill, head of the US delegation, said yesterday afternoon, "We had a lengthy discussion and I must say there are a number of differences."

Despite huge difficulties ahead, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo said yesterday that the ongoing fourth round is "moving toward the right direction."

"They have made frank, in-depth and pragmatic discussions on how to realize a nuclear weapon-free peninsula," Dai said.

The Chinese top diplomat has been to North Korea and the US many times. He wished that the participating parties could "catch fish" in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, the meeting venue for six-party talks.

"Diaoyutai" in Chinese literally means a fishing terrace where emperors and officials used to go fishing.

Negotiators all agreed at a luncheon yesterday to strive for substantive results, including a joint document, an official with the South Korean delegation said yesterday.

The US and South Korean delegations held a one-hour one-on-one meeting Thursday afternoon, at which they reached a new consensus, said the official.

As the talks are about to enter the fourth day, the Russian delegation head Alexander Alexeyev told a press briefing yesterday that he will leave Beijing Saturday for Moscow.

Alexeyev, also Russian deputy foreign minister, said his deputy will remain in Beijing and he will come back "as soon as it's necessary."

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2005)