Chief US negotiator Christopher Hill said in Beijing Wednesday it is possible to reach an agreement for the six-party talks on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, but the detailed differences remain ahead.

 

"We consider the fourth draft to be a very excellent basis for reaching the goals of principles that will guide us to the eventual agreement," said Hill when he left his hotel.

 

The six parties, China, North Korea, US, South Korea, Russia and Japan, reconvened the second phase of the fourth round on Tuesday, fixing on "substantial discussion" Wednesday.

 

The fourth draft of a common document proposed by China during the first phase meeting starting late July remained the focus of the talks, while all parties consider it a good basis for agreement.

 

"Though we don't have any strong problems with the fourth draft, how North Korea reacts to the fourth draft is something we have to see today," said Hill.

 

"That's why we consider it's an important day," said Hill. "We both reiterated our desire to reach an agreement in the session, but the devil would be the detail."

 

According to Hill, the US delegation is scheduled to hold one-on-one contact separately with Japan, Russia, South Korea and North Korea on the second day of the talks.

 

The stumbling block was whether Pyongyang is allowed for the right to have a civilian nuclear program. North Korea insisted on the right while US wanted full dismantlement of its nuclear program. The five-week recess seems unable to soften their stances.

 

"North Korea has the right on peaceful nuclear activity. This right is neither awarded nor needs to be approved by others," the North Korean delegation head Kim Gye-gwan told Xinhua in Pyongyang on Tuesday before traveling to Beijing for the talks.

 

"We have this right, and the more important thing is that we should use this right," Kim stressed, adding that "if US tries to set obstacle to the North Korea's using this right, we can utterly not accept that."

 

China chaired a chief delegates' meeting in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Tuesday afternoon, indicating the formal restart of the talks.

 

While addressing the plenary meeting, Chinese delegation chief Wu Dawei urged the parties concerned to seek a balanced and win-win solution through flexible, pragmatic and constructive consultations so that the talks can make progress.

 

The first three rounds of six-party talks ended inconclusively. The fourth round began in late July and then went into 5-week recess.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2005)