US cautious on N Korea talks

US cautious on N Korea talks

N Korea's secretive leaders seem ready for talks

The United States has said it does not expect quick results when it meets North Korea next week for their first direct, high-level talks since the crisis began over the North's nuclear programme in October.

Delegations will meet in Beijing with the Chinese Government, the North's long-time ally, also expected to participate.

"We don't anticipate immediate breakthroughs, but we are looking for progress," said US State Department spokesman Philip Reeker on Wednesday.

America is still pressing its long-held demand for its regional allies to be included in the negotiations.

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Analysis: N Korea's move

"We will continue to press for Japanese and South Korean early inclusion in the talks - that will be one of our priorities," said Mr Reeker.

US officials have said that the meeting could come as early as next Wednesday but could not confirm the date.

North Korea had previously insisted on one-to-one talks with the United States, but last week hinted it was ready to drop that condition.

Despite being excluded from the talks, South Korea and Japan both welcomed news of the upcoming talks.

It came shortly before the United Nations' top human rights body condemned North Korea for the first time - a vote in which South Korea abstained.

Chinese diplomacy

Media reports, quoting unnamed US officials, say the talks are likely to last three days.

NUCLEAR STAND-OFF

Oct 2002 - NKorea "admits" secret nuclear arms programme

Nov 2002 - US decides to halt oil shipments to NKorea

Dec 2002 - NKorea expels two nuclear watchdog's inspectors

Jan 2003 - NKorea says it is withdraws from Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Feb 2003 - N Korea "reactivates" nuclear facilities

Apr 2003 - N Korea ends insistence on direct talks with US

Crisis timeline

Officials said that the US representative at the talks would be Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly.

Mr Kelly accused North Korea of pursuing a nuclear programme in October last year, triggering the crisis.

An agreement on the three-way meeting was brokered by China, one US official told the French news agency AFP. Washington had suggested that a larger group of nations should be involved in the talks.

The participation of the Chinese was described as a breakthrough by one official quoted in the New York Times newspaper.

"What's new here is that there is an active, bold participatory role for the Chinese," the official was quoted as saying.

Rights issue

The UN Commission on Human Rights voted by 28 to 10, with 14 abstentions, in favour of a resolution which accuses Pyongyang of:

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Parts of the world would eagerly support the downfall of another state of this kind

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• committing "systemic, widespread and grave" human rights violations

• torturing prisoners through forced labour and other means

• imposing severe restrictions on freedom of thought, assembly and fundamental freedoms of women

North Korea has dismissed the charges as "fabrications".

Coinciding with the UN vote, lawmakers from the United States, Japan, Britain, Mongolia and South Korea gathered in Seoul to inaugurate an inter-parliamentary body to help North Korean refugees.

Tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled starvation and repression in their homeland during recent years.