North Korea: Nuclear talks envoys raise objections to Chinese draft proposal

Envoys to international talks seeking to end North Korea’s nuclear weapons program raised objections today to a Chinese draft proposal on initial steps for disarming Pyongyang, the main US delegate said, an indication of obstacles to an imminent breakthrough.

US assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill said the draft proposed after the first day of talks yesterday was discussed at a meeting of heads of delegations from the six countries involved.

“Opinions were expressed around the room, sometimes divergent opinions on the Chinese draft,” Hill said.

“There are some differences of views among the various delegations.”

The one-page plan – presented after the first day of meetings Thursday where North Korea agreed in principle to take initial steps to disarm – would grant the communist nation unspecified energy aid for shutting down its main nuclear facilities, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

The US and North Korean envoys held a one-on-one meeting later Friday at a Beijing hotel away from the main negotiating venue to discuss the draft.

“This is a difficult time when you’re trying to talk about words on a paper and making sure you have the same understanding of the words,” Hill said after seeing the North’s Kim Kye Gwan.