BEIJING, September 27 (RIA Novosti) - Six nations engaged in protracted talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament gathered for a new round of negotiations in the Chinese capital Thursday after a six-month break.
In his opening remarks, the host country's deputy foreign minister, Wu Dawei, said he hoped the parties would overcome obstacles and enter a new phase of denuclearization.
"This meeting is an important one in the six-party talks process. Its main task is to discuss and determine the next steps of the action plan," Dawei said.
Envoys from the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South and North Koreas are expected to finalize a timeline for Pyongyang to shut down all its nuclear facilities and provide full data on its nuclear programs in exchange for aid and diplomatic incentives.
This would be the second phase of disarmament since the North closed its main nuclear reactor in July under the February six-party deal. The impoverished state has already been provided with 50,000 metric tons of fuel oil and is to receive about the same amount for its thermal power plants.
On Thursday, the first day of talks to last until Sunday, the heads of the five working groups set up to encourage Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions reported the outcomes of the discussions they held in August-September, a source close to the negotiations said.
Prior to the negotiations earlier on Thursday, the six countries' envoys held bilateral meetings highlighting the importance of the current round.
"It looks like a busy day and I think we will have a good sense about what will come out of this in a few days," U.S. top negotiator Christopher Hill told reporters.
The talks are taking place against the backdrop of suspicions that Pyongyang is providing nuclear technology to other countries. Media reports have said Israeli aircraft could target a joint Syrian-North Korea nuclear facility in Syria on September 6. Syria and North Korea have denied the reports. Israel has not given any official confirmation.
The disarmament talks have continued for over three years. North Korea successfully conducted nuclear bomb tests last October.
