Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (4th L) takes a group photo with top nuclear negotiators in a fresh round of talks on the denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, on Dec. 11, 2008.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The six parties involved in the Korean Peninsula nuclear talks concluded their latest round of negotiations on Thursday, without registering substantive progress.

"The parties evaluated progress made towards an agreement on terms for verification," said a chairman's statement issued at the end of the talks.

How to verify the nuclear program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was the sticking point in the latest round of talks, which started on Monday.

After four days of intensive one-on-one meetings and plenary meetings, the six parties failed to reach an agreement on a verification draft, in which host China put together the views of all parties.

Under an agreement reached at the talks in February 2007, the DPRK agreed to abandon all nuclear weapons and programs. It also promised to declare all its nuclear programs and facilities by the end of 2007. In return, DPRK would get diplomatic and economic incentives.

"Through days of discussions, six parties came to some consensus, but remained apart on some issues," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in a meeting with six chief negotiators earlier Thursday.

Yang called for all parties to remain confident and patient, show wisdom and the utmost flexibility as a way of moving forward the talks.

The on-again-off-again talks were initiated in 2003 and aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

The latest round of talks also dealt with how to fully implement the second-phase action plan prescribed in the 2007 agreement as well as how to put forward a northeast Asian peace and security guiding principles.

Russia circulated a revised draft of guiding principles on peace and security to other parties.

According to the chairman's statement, a working group meeting under the Russian chairmanship will be held in Moscow in February 2009 to further discuss the principles.

The Republic of Korea (ROK), as the chair, would convene a working group meeting at an appropriate time to coordinate the assistance to the DPRK.

The six parties also agreed to "convene the next meeting as soon as possible."

The parties encouraged sincere efforts by the DPRK and the U.S. as well as the DPRK and Japan toward normalizing their relations, said the statement.

China urges all parties to show utmost flexibility in Korean nuclear talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (4th L) meets with top nuclear negotiators in a fresh round of talks on the denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, on Dec. 11, 2008.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday hoped all parties involved in the Korean Peninsular nuclear talks could show the utmost flexibility in order to achieve a positive result.

"We hope all sides remain confident and patient, and show wisdom and the utmost flexibility as a way of achieving a positive result during the meeting," said Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Full story

Six parties remain divided on DPRK verification document

BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Six parties involved in the Korean Peninsula nuclear talks ended a third day of negotiations without making any progress.

"I can't say there is any breakthrough," Chief U.S. Negotiator Christopher Hill told reporters Wednesday evening. Full story

U.S. indicates to put DPRK back on terrorism list

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States does not rule out the possibilities that putting back the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the list of state sponsors of terrorism, a senior official said on Wednesday.

"I suppose these things are always possible," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at the daily briefing, when asked whether Washington would put back the DPRK to the list of state sponsors of terrorism should Pyongyang takes uncooperative steps on its nuclear program. Full story

Six-party talks focus on verification draft of DPRK nuclear program

BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chief delegates of the six-party talks kept negotiating here on Wednesday over the draft proposal on how to verify the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) nuclear program after reaching no agreement Tuesday. Full story

DPRK wishes to remove obstacles to progress in fresh six-party talks

PYONGYANG, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Saturday said it welcomed the reopening of six-party talks in the coming days in Beijing, wishing to resolve issues that hinder the progress of the talks.

The DPRK believes that the upcoming six-nation talks should have two tasks. One is to "ensure the speed of economic compensation" to the DPRK as promised by the other five parties, and the other is to "achieve common understanding of the issue of verification," said a spokesman of the DPRK Foreign Ministry in a statement. Full story

Source: Xinhua