U.S. meets allies for nuclear talks

U.S. meets allies for nuclear talks

SOUTH KOREA: Top nuclear negotiators from South Korea, the United States and Japan held discussions here on Thursday to lay the groundwork for the resumption of talks next month with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program.

After more than a year of stalemate with Pyongyang, the secretive state on Saturday agreed to re-open the six-way negotiations -- an announcement that came with key new aid initiatives from South Korea.

Both Japan and the United States have expressed some hesitation about Seoul's massive offer to stream electricity into the North if it gives up its nuclear ambitions.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Washington wanted to ensure the focus remained on the North's disarmament, while Japan said Pyongyang had gone back on its promises before.

Thursday's meeting brought together South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-Soon, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill and Kenichiro Sasae, director general of Japan's foreign ministry's Asia-Oceania affairs bureau.

Details of the meeting were not available, but Hill said after the meeting the format of the six-party talks, which also included China and Russia, was discussed.

"We're having good discussions here about modality," Hill said. -- AFP