Chinese foreign minister to meet N Korea's Kim Jong-il

BEIJING, July 3 (Reuters) Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il later Tuesday, a ministry spokesman said, as uncertainty continued over when Pyongyang may shut its nuclear reactor.

Yang, who arrived in Pyongyang yesterday, earlier met other North Korean officials to discuss expanding cooperation, in particular trade ties, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular news conference in Beijing.

He said both sides had agreed to work towards implementing a February agreement aimed at shutting down Pyongyang's nuclear programme in exchange for energy assistance and security guarantees.

Yang, making his first visit as foreign minister to Beijing's isolated communist neighbour, is expected to leave tomorrow.

His trip follows a visit by officials from the UN's nuclear watchdog last week after North Korea agreed to move ahead on a disarmament-for-aid deal reached at six-party talks in February.

REUTERS GL RN1319