2007年VOA标准英语-US Chief Negotiator Optimistic After Meetings W
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By Daniel SchearfBeijing
17 July 2007
The head U.S. negotiator to six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear programs has expressed optimism after a first day of meetings with North Korean officials in Beijing. As Daniel Schearf reports from the Chinese capital, the talks are focused on a timetable for dismantling1 North Korea's nuclear programs.
US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, in Beijing, 17 Jul 2007
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, told reporters Tuesday evening the U.S. and North Korea are "in the same ballpark" on a timetable for Pyongyang to declare and disable all its nuclear facilities.
Hill has said he would like to see North Korea declare all its nuclear materials in a matter of months and disable its facilities by the end of the year. But, he says he is flexible on whether the declaration or disablement starts first.
"You know, I don't like to get in a situation where if we don't nail down the declaration then we can't start any disablement," said Hill. "So, I want to have a little flexibility2 on that."
| US nuclear envoy Christopher Hill, right, speaks to journalists after meeting with North Korean negotiator Kim Kye Gwan, in Beijing, 17 Jul 2007 |
Delegates from North Korea, the United States, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia will discuss the next steps in ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programs - identifying all of its nuclear facilities and dismantling them.
The declaration of nuclear facilities is likely to prove tricky4, as the U.S. has accused North Korea of having a secret uranium enrichment program that the North has never publicly acknowledged.
Hill says the uranium issue will have to be discussed as part of the declaration.
"It has to be dealt with," he added. "You know, when you have a declaration it can't be a partial declaration. Yeah, it has to be dealt with and we'll have a conversation about that."
Pyongyang promised in February to dismantle5 all its nuclear programs in return for aid, security guarantees, and normalized relations with the U.S. and Japan. The first step of shutting down its nuclear reactor6 was delayed over a financial dispute that was only recently resolved.
International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors7 have confirmed that North Korea has shut down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, giving new momentum8 to the talks.
Once the facilities are dismantled9, foreign ministers from all six nations will meet for the first time. Hill says that this week the delegates will discuss possible dates for that historic meeting.
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