US expects North Korea talks to start near Feb 8

WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (Reuters) The United States expects six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program to resume on or around February 8 in Beijing, said the US State Department today.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the US negotiator for the talks, Chris Hill, had bought a plane ticket to be in Beijing by February 8, adding that the United States was awaiting China's official announcement of a date.

''Chris has a plane ticket for on or about February 8th in Beijing and so he is counting on going there,'' McCormack said, when asked whether a date had been set.

China hosts the talks grouping the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia, which began in 2003. Hill met his North Korean counterparts in Berlin earlier this month, raising hopes that progress might be made in the new round of talks.

REUTERS SP BST2221