N. Korea nuclear talks likely as planned
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-08-25 07:14

TOKYO - Six-party talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons programs are likely to resume next week as planned, China's top envoy to the discussions said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Lee Jong-seok (L), deputy head of South Korea's National Security Council, shakes hands with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi during a meeting, on policy coordination on the North Korean nuclear issue, at Tokyo's Iikura Guest House August 24, 2005. [Reuters]

In Seoul, a senior South Korean official said he was optimistic about the prospects for a deal by which the North would abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions because Pyongyang has been presented with Washington's best-ever offer.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, visiting Japan for talks with Japanese officials, told reporters the starting date would be decided after consultations with the other parties.

"As planned," Wu said when asked about the timing of the upcoming talks, following a meeting with Kenichiro Sasae, Japan's chief negotiator to the forum which includes the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia.

Following a gap of more than a year, the six countries met in Beijing for nearly two weeks before breaking off earlier this month with a decision to reconvene during the week of August 29.

There has been a flurry of diplomatic activity in the interim, including contacts between U.S. and North Korean officials.

Lee Jong-Seok, deputy head of South Korea's National Security Council, was also in Tokyo and held talks with Japanese officials, including Sasae, later on Wednesday.

The two sides agreed to make efforts to ensure that all six parties could agree this time on a joint statement, something they failed to do in early August.

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