TOKYO, July 12 (RIA Novosti, Andrei Fesyun) - The fourth round of the six-nation talks on the North Korean nuclear problem involving the U.S., North and South Korea, Russia, China and Japan will open in Beijing July 27, a source in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan told NHK TV. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, currently on a four-nation trip to South Asia, arrived in Tokyo from Thailand early July 12. Rice is set to meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura to discuss common tactics for the renewed talks.
The Saturday statement that Pyongyang was ready to rejoin the nuclear talks pointed to "the progress in the North Korean leadership's position," the source said.
The six-nation talks, which began in Beijing in 2003, aim to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear program. No agreement has been reached yet.
The fourth round, scheduled for 2004 was cancelled as Pyongyang accused the United States of threatening North Korea.
In February 2005, North Korea announced for the first time that it has nuclear weapons.
