US envoys sit down to talks in China on NKorea

Beijing, Nov 8: US and Chinese officials began a series of meetings today aimed at smoothing the way for six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programmes and addressing bilateral issues between Beijing and Washington.

US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi as part of the ''strategic dialogue'' between the two countries intended to keep communication open over frictions such as trade disputes and military rivalries.

''The relationship focuses on bilateral issues that motivate us from day to day, and we also have other issues... (Because) together we have responsibility for global peace and global security,'' China's Xinhua news agency quoted Burns as saying.

Burns, who was in Beijing along with Robert Joseph, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control, was set to meet Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing later in the day.

Dai was part of the Chinese delegation that visited Pyongyang last month following North Korea's October 9 nuclear test.

After a three-way meeting in Beijing last week with China and the United States, the North agreed to return to six-party talks that also group Japan, South Korea and Russia, but there is still no fixed date for the negotiations.

North Korea had pulled out a year ago in anger over US actions against North Korea's suspected illicit activities, including counterfeiting and money laundering. It came back to the talks on the premise the US financial crackdown on its firms would be discussed.

Adding to the flurry of diplomacy over North Korea, South Korean media reported that the North's first Vice Foreign Minister, Kang Sok-ju, was also holding talks in Beijing with Li Zhaoxing.

China's Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on the report, but Japan's chief cabinet secretary said Kang's visit could be a positive sign.

''The priority is for North Korea to return to the six-party talks,'' Yasuhisa Shiozaki told a news conference. ''If the visit was to hold discussions in preparation for the talks, it is a step forward and we would welcome it.''

REUTERS

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