N Korea negotiations turn stormy

The US says China's proposals are a basis for an agreement

Negotiators are reported to have had heated exchanges on the sixth day of six-party talks in Beijing on North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.

One delegate said fierce clashes occurred as the negotiating teams tried to hammer out an agreement on a statement of basic principles.

The parties failed to agree on a final statement during three previous rounds of talks in Beijing.

The two Koreas, the US, China, Russia and Japan are represented at the talks.

The BBC's Charles Scanlon says there is a new sense of urgency at these latest talks following North Korea's declaration earlier this year that it had a nuclear arsenal.

Incentives

A document put forward by China calls for a Korean peninsula entirely free of nuclear weapons.

It also urges incentives for North Korea, including economic aid and security guarantees.

The head of the American team, Christopher Hill, said the draft statement put forward by China was "a good basis" for an agreement.

CRISIS TIMELINE Oct 2002: US says North Korea is enriching uranium in violation of agreements Dec 2002: North Korea removes UN seals from Yongbyon nuclear reactor, expels inspectors Feb 2003: IAEA refers North Korea to UN Security Council Aug 2003: First round of six-nation talks begins in Beijing Feb 2005: Pyongyang says it has built nuclear weapons for self-defence Timeline: Nuclear crisis

But he added that it was proving a very lengthy and difficult process.

One of the key issues is the debate on who should take the first step to kick-start the denuclearisation process.

Pyongyang wants diplomatic relations with the US and a peace agreement, in addition to security guarantees and economic help.

For its part, Washington has called for concessions on North Korea's development of ballistic missiles and its human rights record.

These demands are in addition to Washington's most significant requirement - that Pyongyang agree to the verifiable dismantlement of its nuclear weapons programmes.

Step-by-step

North Korea objects to US demands that it make the first move by scrapping its nuclear weapons facilities.

Instead it wants a step-by-step process in which it receives progressive rewards and incentives.

The North has also continued to reject American allegations that it is running a secret enriched uranium programme in addition to its well-known plutonium plant at Yongbyon.

That dispute provoked the current crisis, which began nearly three years ago and has blocked diplomatic progress since.