Korean nuclear talks 'achieve positive results'

China said tonight that progress had been made at the North Korea nuclear talks, and a South Korean official said all six countries had reached an unspecified agreement.

The talks, which began on Thursday, have achieved “positive results, but we need more consultations and discussions to confirm the progress”, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

A South Korean official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an agreement had been reached among the chief delegates, who were seeking their home governments’ approval of the deal.

Over the previous four days, the six-country talks in Beijing had stalled over disagreements on energy assistance for North Korea in exchange for its abandonment of nuclear weapons.

“It is up to the North Koreans. We have put everything on the table. We have offered a way forward on a number of issues. They just need to make a decision,” US assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill said before the latest session.

His comments were echoed by Japanese envoy Kenichiro Sasae, whose government has been fiercely critical of North Korea, and South Korea’s assistant foreign minister Chun Yung-woo, whose leaders have often appeared more accommodating.

The negotiations included the two Koreas, the US, Japan, China and Russia.