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| China urges patience on N Korea | China urges patience on N Korea |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| China has urged the US to show patience as North Korea appeared set to miss a key deadline for closing its Yongbyon nuclear reactor. | China has urged the US to show patience as North Korea appeared set to miss a key deadline for closing its Yongbyon nuclear reactor. |
| Beijing had urged US officials to wait "a couple more days", US nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill said. | Beijing had urged US officials to wait "a couple more days", US nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill said. |
| Under a landmark deal signed on 13 February, North Korea agreed to shut down and seal its reactor within 60 days in return for economic aid. | Under a landmark deal signed on 13 February, North Korea agreed to shut down and seal its reactor within 60 days in return for economic aid. |
| But a banking row has stalled progress towards meeting the 14 April date. | But a banking row has stalled progress towards meeting the 14 April date. |
| "We have reached our 60-day deadline and needless to say, this presents a concern that the deadline has not been met," Mr Hill said in Beijing, where he has been holding talks. | "We have reached our 60-day deadline and needless to say, this presents a concern that the deadline has not been met," Mr Hill said in Beijing, where he has been holding talks. |
| But officials in Beijing had asked the US to be flexible, he said. | But officials in Beijing had asked the US to be flexible, he said. |
| "They said the lines of communication were open... if it is going to get resolved it certainly should be able to get resolved very soon," he said. | "They said the lines of communication were open... if it is going to get resolved it certainly should be able to get resolved very soon," he said. |
| Transferring funds | Transferring funds |
| The implementation of the deal - aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programme - has been delayed by a row over $25m (£13m) of North Korean money frozen in a Macau bank. | The implementation of the deal - aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programme - has been delayed by a row over $25m (£13m) of North Korean money frozen in a Macau bank. |
| N KOREA NUCLEAR DEAL N Korea to 'shut down and seal' Yongbyon reactor, then disable all nuclear facilitiesIn return, will be given 1m tonnes of heavy fuel oilN Korea to invite IAEA back to monitor dealUnder earlier 2005 deal, N Korea agreed to end nuclear programme and return to non-proliferation treatyN Korea's demand for light water reactor to be discussed at "appropriate time" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6556417.stm">Limited outcry class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2340405.stm">Q&A: Nuclear standoff | |
| In 2005 the US accused Banco Delta Asia (BDA) of acting as a conduit for money earned by Pyongyang from illegal activities, causing Macau authorities to freeze the accounts. | In 2005 the US accused Banco Delta Asia (BDA) of acting as a conduit for money earned by Pyongyang from illegal activities, causing Macau authorities to freeze the accounts. |
| After the 13 February deal, the US unblocked the funds and in recent days said it had found a way for the money to be transferred back to Pyongyang. | After the 13 February deal, the US unblocked the funds and in recent days said it had found a way for the money to be transferred back to Pyongyang. |
| North Korea - which insists that progress on implementing the deal is contingent on getting the money back - said on Friday that it would "confirm soon" whether the funds had been released. | North Korea - which insists that progress on implementing the deal is contingent on getting the money back - said on Friday that it would "confirm soon" whether the funds had been released. |
| Mr Hill said that financial dispute had been resolved. "North Korea understands the fact that their accounts, these funds, are accessible to them," he said. | Mr Hill said that financial dispute had been resolved. "North Korea understands the fact that their accounts, these funds, are accessible to them," he said. |
| And he called for greater commitment from North Korea. | And he called for greater commitment from North Korea. |
| "We'd like to see a similar level of effort from the DPRK (North Korea), a level of effort that, frankly, we haven't been seeing," he said. | "We'd like to see a similar level of effort from the DPRK (North Korea), a level of effort that, frankly, we haven't been seeing," he said. |
| But on Friday, Foreign Ministry official Kim Son-gyong told the French news agency AFP that North Korea would "respect our commitment" under the deal. | But on Friday, Foreign Ministry official Kim Son-gyong told the French news agency AFP that North Korea would "respect our commitment" under the deal. |
| "There is no reason to be pessimistic. We will be faithful to this agreement if the Americans respect its clauses," he said. | "There is no reason to be pessimistic. We will be faithful to this agreement if the Americans respect its clauses," he said. |
| The deal followed heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea test fired a new long-range missile in July and then held its first nuclear test in October. | The deal followed heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea test fired a new long-range missile in July and then held its first nuclear test in October. |