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| N Korea talks enter crucial day | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Delegates at six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme have begun discussing a draft agreement on their second day of negotiation. | |
| On a positive first day, Chinese officials drafted an outline plan after Pyongyang agreed on initial steps towards disarmament. | On a positive first day, Chinese officials drafted an outline plan after Pyongyang agreed on initial steps towards disarmament. |
| South Korean delegate Chun Yung-woo said the Chinese draft offered a good start for discussions. | South Korean delegate Chun Yung-woo said the Chinese draft offered a good start for discussions. |
| The two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the US are attending the talks. | The two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the US are attending the talks. |
| The US wants North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, but Pyongyang wants sanctions lifted. | The US wants North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, but Pyongyang wants sanctions lifted. |
| Trade and financial sanctions against North Korea were tightened after it carried out a nuclear weapons test in October. | Trade and financial sanctions against North Korea were tightened after it carried out a nuclear weapons test in October. |
| Delegates want to revive a September 2005 agreement under which the North would agree to end its nuclear programme in return for aid and security guarantees. | Delegates want to revive a September 2005 agreement under which the North would agree to end its nuclear programme in return for aid and security guarantees. |
| Desire for progress | Desire for progress |
| Reports say the draft plan involves shutting down Pyongyang's plutonium-producing reactor within two months and the return of international inspectors, in exchange for deliveries of fuel oil. | |
| The chief US envoy to the talks, Christopher Hill, said he hoped a joint statement could be achieved. | The chief US envoy to the talks, Christopher Hill, said he hoped a joint statement could be achieved. |
| "The delegations are coalescing around some of the themes that we believe should be the basis for a first step," he said. | "The delegations are coalescing around some of the themes that we believe should be the basis for a first step," he said. |
| "We think if we can get this first good step it will give us some momentum to get to the next step and the step after that." | "We think if we can get this first good step it will give us some momentum to get to the next step and the step after that." |
| N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weaponsBut not thought to have any small enough to put in a missileCould try dropping from plane, though world watching closely Food shortage is key Text of September 2005 deal And Chun Yung-woo, South Korea's representative, said the key phase of the talks would come on Friday. | N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weaponsBut not thought to have any small enough to put in a missileCould try dropping from plane, though world watching closely Food shortage is key Text of September 2005 deal And Chun Yung-woo, South Korea's representative, said the key phase of the talks would come on Friday. |
| Speaking to a Senate committee in Washington, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice welcomed the new round of talks. | Speaking to a Senate committee in Washington, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice welcomed the new round of talks. |
| "I think we are cautiously optimistic that there may be some movement forward," she said. | "I think we are cautiously optimistic that there may be some movement forward," she said. |
| "However, I don't count my chickens before they hatch." | "However, I don't count my chickens before they hatch." |
| In Beijing the North Korean envoy, Mr Kim, said there remained important differences with the US. | In Beijing the North Korean envoy, Mr Kim, said there remained important differences with the US. |
| "The judgement [for the talks] should be based on whether the United States will come forward and abandon its hostile policy against us and co-exist peacefully," he said. | "The judgement [for the talks] should be based on whether the United States will come forward and abandon its hostile policy against us and co-exist peacefully," he said. |
| Food shortage | Food shortage |
| Part of the reason for analysts' optimism is the reported progress at recent talks between the US and North Korea in Berlin. | Part of the reason for analysts' optimism is the reported progress at recent talks between the US and North Korea in Berlin. |
| Reports that the North is enduring a winter food crisis have emerged in recent weeks, a fact which is thought to have changed the dynamics in the run-up to the talks. | Reports that the North is enduring a winter food crisis have emerged in recent weeks, a fact which is thought to have changed the dynamics in the run-up to the talks. |
| Washington has reportedly shown a willingness to sit down and discuss North Korea's demands to lift financial sanctions. | Washington has reportedly shown a willingness to sit down and discuss North Korea's demands to lift financial sanctions. |
| Meanwhile, North Korea reportedly recently told visiting US officials it would take the first steps to disband its nuclear programme in return for 500,000 metric tons of fuel oil and other benefits. | Meanwhile, North Korea reportedly recently told visiting US officials it would take the first steps to disband its nuclear programme in return for 500,000 metric tons of fuel oil and other benefits. |