Nuclear talks end amid 'positive' atmosphere, but no agreement

Posted on : 2007-08-17 18:56 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST

Working-level talks on ending North Korea's nuclear ambition closed Friday in what a South Korean official called a "positive and friendly" mood, but the countries have failed to reach an agreement on how to disable the communist nation's nuclear facilities as part of a February denuclearization deal.

The lack of an agreement at the closure of the two-day talks apparently comes as a disappointment to the chief U.S. nuclear envoy, Christopher Hill, who earlier Friday said he hoped to have a "common definition of disablement" by the end of the day.

"The meeting ended in a very positive and friendly atmosphere.

Regarding disablement, there was an exchange of views and the countries agreed to continue their consultations," a South Korean delegate to the six-nation nuclear talks said while asking not to be identified.

This week's talks opened here Thursday as the six nations involved in the nuclear disarmament talks -- South and North Korea, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia -- are working to implement the second phase of a February agreement, in which the North agreed to shut down and eventually disable its key nuclear facilities and submit a complete list of all its nuclear programs.

Pyongyang has already shut down five nuclear facilities at Yongbyon, including its only operational nuclear reactor, under the February agreement, which entitles it to 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent aid upon completion of the second phase steps -- disablement and declaration.

South Korea has provided the initial 50,000 tons of heavy oil promised in the aid-for-denuclearization accord.

SHENYANG, China, Aug. 17 (Yonhap News)