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