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US and North Korea Meet Before Multilateral Nuclear Talks
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(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=E529AF:3919ACA

Diplomats stress progress must be reached in this fourth round of
disarmament negotiations U.S. and North Korean delegates met in
Beijing before joining six-nation talks Tuesday on ending Pyongyang's
nuclear-weapons programs.







U.S. envoy to six-nation talks, Christopher Hill gestures to calm down
journalists to ask questions as he arrives at a hotel in BeijingChief
U.S. negotiator Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill says the
meeting with the North Koreans is a chance for both sides to consult
before the formal opening of six-nation talks Tuesday. "We are just
trying to get acquainted, to review how we see things coming up and
compare notes. We are looking forward to working hard and trying to
make some progress," he said.

Progress on the nearly three-year long North Korean nuclear dispute is
also on the minds of the Japanese, South Korean, Chinese and Russian
delegations. Tuesday is to be the first meeting of all six nations
since North Korea began a 13-month boycott.

Pyongyang agreed to return to the negotiations July 9, during
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Beijing and after South
Korea proposed to meet all the North's electricity needs in exchange
for nuclear disarmament.

Three previous rounds of negotiations since 2003 have achieved little
progress.

The North Korean nuclear dispute erupted in 2002 when the United
States said Pyongyang admitted to having a secret nuclear program, in
violation of international agreements. Pyongyang says the
nuclear-weapons development is for the country's self-defense against
forces "hostile" to the communist nation.

The United States and its allies want North Korea to abandon its
nuclear ambitions permanently in exchange for energy aid and possible
security pledges.

In a bilateral meeting Sunday, North and South Korean officials said
both sides wanted to see "substantial progress" this time around.

Assistant Secretary Hill told reporters Sunday in Beijing that he does
not expect the latest round of talks to be the last set of
negotiations on the issue.