Six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear arms program early
on Tuesday settled key differences that had blocked a draft disarmament
deal, leaving the potential agreement needing approval from the
countries' capitals.
The nuclear talks in Beijing have focused on how to begin implementing
a September 2005 agreement that promised North Korea aid and security
assurances in return for nuclear disarmament.
Negotiations appeared stuck on North Korea's demands for a huge
influx of energy aid. But intense discussions from Monday brought
a breakthrough that could land a formal agreement later on Tuesday.
"There was an agreement on the key differences of North
Korea's actions for denuclearisation, their scope and how far
they'll go, and the other countries' corresponding measures and
the scale of assistance," South Korean envoy Chun Yung-woo
told reporters.
"North Korea basically agreed to all the measures in the
draft."
The draft agreement now needed the green light from respective
capitals, the U.S. envoy Christopher Hill said.
"When you put out a final draft you're expectation is that
you've met everyone's concerns," he told reporters.
"Now it will be up to the Chinese to get formal approval
from the different delegations. I think the Chinese will certainly
be up to that task."
The proposed plan will be only the first step in what Hill has
called a step-by-step process of locating and dismantling North
Korea's nuclear weapons activities, which culminated in its first
nuclear test blast in October.
"This is only one phase of denuclearisation. We're not done,"
said Hill.
But there is a gulf of distrust that divides the isolated North
from other countries in the talks, especially the United States,
and diplomats have stressed that even this initial disarmament
action could founder.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters the
six sides had held "extraordinarily intensive consultations.
"But we still have to have further discussions to confirm
things. Because of this, we will continue the talks in the day
time." That meeting is due to begin at 0230 GMT.
Japan's chief delegate, Kenichiro Sasae, also sounded a note
of caution. "It is too early for me to say the draft is acceptable,"
he told reporters. Sasae's words were echoed by South Korea's
envoy Chun.
In the latest talks that began on Thursday, negotiators from
North and South Korea, the United States, Russia, Japan and China
agreed on most of an initial plan.
In the potential deal, North Korea has offered to shut down its
Yongbyon nuclear plant, which produces plutonium usable in nuclear
weapons, according to many diplomats close to the talks.
But energy compensation demands from Pyongyang had left the other
countries suspicious about its willingness to fully scrap its
nuclear arms capabilities.
A diplomatic source said North Korea had demanded the United
States and four other countries provide it with 2 million tons
of heavy fuel oil annually -- worth about $600 million -- and
2,000 megawatts of electricity.
The electricity, at an estimated cost of $8.55 billion over 10
years, would be about equal to North Korea's current output.
Hill did not say how the energy dispute was solved.
"Everybody had to make some changes to try to narrow the
differences," he said.
Hill also said he did not know if North Korea's leaders will
approve the potential deal, but Pyongyang's negotiators appeared
to understand what they may sign up for.
In September 2005, North Korea agreed to a joint statement sketching
out the nuclear disarmament steps Pyongyang needed to take to
secure fuel and economic aid, as well as political acceptance
from its key adversary, the United States.
But the deal fell by the way after Washington accused the North
of counterfeiting U.S. currency and other illicit activities.
That prompted Pyongyang to boycott the six-party talks until worldwide
condemnation of its nuclear test drew it back in December.
(Additional reporting by Ian Ransom and Teruaki Ueno in Beijing)
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