The heads of delegations to the six-party talks concluded their
brief meeting to discuss the wording of the draft common document
in Beijing Sunday morning, and observers noted this might be
signaling the ending of the marathon negotiation.
Before the meeting, the Japanese delegation said there still was
a chance for the six parties to reach an agreement though the US
side claimed differences still existed.
Sunday's meeting might be a "crucial one" for this round of the
six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue,
said?Kenichiro Sasae, the Japanese delegation head, before
leaving the hotel for the delegation heads' meeting.
A plenary session was originally planned for Sunday, which was
postponed. The delegations were supposed to offer their views on
the draft common document Saturday afternoon.
The delegation heads met Saturday afternoon, but failed to reach
an agreement on the draft before they decided to continue their
meeting Sunday morning.
US chief negotiator Christopher Hill said Sunday morning the
differences between the delegations remained.
"The issue is how we express the elements in the text," said
Hill, also US assistant secretary of state, adding that the US
delegation prefers a less ambiguous text.
"But we are trying to work with it, and we are really trying to
reach something with it. We are setting principles, but being in
general principles doesn't mean you create ambiguities and lead the
way to confusion and lead the way to problems in the future," Hill
said.
Although the Japanese chief negotiator claimed chance for an
agreement, he did not elaborate whether or not the meeting will
enter another recess.
"To take a recess is one of the options, and there are other
ways," he said.
Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo said Saturday the draft common
document China presented is the "most realistic" scenario for the
parties to reach a consensus on settling the Korean Peninsula
nuclear issue.
(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2005)