Six-party talks totter into no man's land
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-08-04 07:00

The crisis erupted in October 2002 when U.S. officials confronted the North Korea with evidence it was violating international protocol by pursuing a clandestine uranium enrichment weapons program.

The North Koreans responded by throwing out U.N. weapons inspectors, abandoning the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and restarting their mothballed Yongbyon reactor.

Pyongyang upped the stakes in February, announcing it now had nuclear weapons and demanding aid, assurances and diplomatic recognition from Washington in return for scrapping them.

This fourth round of six-party talks has been the most promising in terms of an unprecedented level of contact between the U.S. and North Korean delegations and the length of debate over the joint statement.