North Korea stands firm as talks go on

BEIJING - Talks designed to end North Korea's nuclear arms programme enter a second day on Wednesday without a breakthrough after Pyongyang stood firm on having a right to atomic energy for civilian use.

Chief US negotiator Christopher Hill said North Korea's position did "seem to be evolving a little", but there had been no real progress since the six countries involved in the negotiations last met in Beijing five weeks ago.

The United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas agree in principle to a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, but Pyongyang and Washington -- in particular -- are at odds over how to reach that goal.

Washington is demanding the North dismantle all nuclear programmes verifiably and irreversibly, after which it could expect energy aid and security guarantees. The North wants aid and guarantees first and the right to keep civilian programmes.

The six countries gathered at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in western Beijing on Tuesday to resume a fourth round of talks that started in late July and lasted 13 days before breaking up on Aug. 7 for a recess. The first round began in 2003.

Failure to reach an accord in Beijing could prompt Washington to take the issue to the UN Security Council and press for sanctions. China opposes such a move and North Korea has said sanctions would be tantamount to war.

Despite the impasse, Washington said it hoped a resolution could be reached in a matter of days and South Korea's chief negotiator said a joint statement, elusive at all previous rounds of talks, might be agreed with "minimum revisions".

"We didn't set a hard deadline but I think there is a sense that we should be able to wrap this up in a matter of days, not weeks," Hill said.

South Korea suggested the North may be ready for a compromise.

- REUTERS