New NKorea talks said possible in next 10 days

Washington, Dec 9: A fresh round of six-party talks on endingNorth Korea's nuclear ambitions may take place in the next 10 days orso, a senior State Department official said.

''In the next 10 ten days or so I think that there is apossibility of their reconvening but we don't have any done dealsyet,'' said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition he not benamed.

The talks, which include the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia andthe United States, last year produced an agreement under which NorthKorea said it was committed ''to abandoning all nuclear weapons andexisting nuclear programs.'' In return, the other nations held outeconomic, political and security incentives.

Earlier, in a dispatch datelined Tokyo, the Russian Itar-Tass newsagency quoted ''informed sources in the Japanese capital'' as sayingthe talks could restart on December 16.

Separately, President George W Bush yesterday imposed sanctions onNorth Korea that appear to have little practical impact in retaliationfor Pyongyang's successful October 9 nuclear test.

US law requires a cut-off in US nuclear cooperation and infinancial assistance to any state Washington believes should benon-nuclear that detonates a nuclear weapon. North Korea falls intothat category.

The sanctions imposed by the president require the cut-off innuclear cooperation and in financial assistance. But since the UnitedStates does not provide either to North Korea, the sanctions put inplace by Bush have little practical impact.

US humanitarian assistance is not affected and will continue, a White House official said.

''These sanctions in no way undermine the president'slong-standing commitment to providing humanitarian assistance toalleviate the suffering of the North Korean people and the commitmentto denuclearise North Korea through the six-Party talks,'' the officialsaid.

The order by Bush did not affect a separate effort by the USgovernment to make it harder for North Korean leader Kim Jong-il toacquire luxury items such as cognac, jet skis and plasma televisions.

Reuters

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