North Korea 'will halt nuclear programme'

North Korea will abolish its military nuclear programme but will maintain a “peaceful” nuclear capability, the Chinese government quoted a Russian negotiator as saying today.

There were no immediate details.

The brief report was carried by the English-language wire of China’s Xinhua News Agency, the official voice of its government. It cited Alexander Losyukov, head of the Russian delegation and his country’s deputy foreign minister.

“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shows “readiness” to abolish nuclear weapon programme while retaining a nuclear programme for peaceful purpose,” Xinhua said.

The announcement came during a second round of Beijing-based six-party talks on the North’s nuclear programme. Participating in the talks are the Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan.

The United States has demanded an immediate dismantling of the North’s nuclear programme.

Pyongyang says it wants aid and security guarantees before it begins to do so.