U.S. And North Korea Hold Nuclear Talks

Diplomats from the United States and North Korea are holding talks in Beijing concerning the dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear program.

The Monday meeting between U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill and North Korea’s Kim Kye-Kwan involves the next step in an accord reached last February that calls on Pyongyang to provide details of all its nuclear programs, the Voice of America reported.

We want a clear idea on what’s involved in disablement, what’s involved in the declaration, so that when we have our meeting, the six-party meeting. . .we can make real progress, Hill said.

He is hoping to have the list by late August or early September ahead of the next round of six-nation talks.

Those talks will focus only on what the United States and other parties to the talks want, VOA said.

North Korea expects concessions in return.

It has already shut down its main nuclear facility and has begun receiving shipments of food, fertilizer and fuel oil.