Ministers to hold N. Korea talks in S'pore next week
Fri, Jul 18, 2008
AFP
SEOUL, KOREA - FOREIGN ministers of six countries negotiating North Korea's nuclear disarmament will meet in Singapore next week, Yonhap news agency quoted a diplomatic source as saying.
The source said the meeting, which would be the highest-level gathering since the negotiations began in 2003, would be held next Wednesday.
China said on Thursday that the foreign ministers may gather in Singapore.
Foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said the potential meeting could take place on the sidelines of next week's annual Asean Regional Forum (ARF).
'Some countries propose holding a six-party ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the ARF, and China and other relevant parties are consulting on the proposals,' Mr Liu said.
At the latest six-party round in Beijing last week, the North agreed to disable its main nuclear plants by the end of October.
The communist state also said it would allow thorough site inspections to verify that all necessary steps had been taken.
In return, the other five parties - China, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Russia - guaranteed delivery of all heavy fuel oil promised as part of a landmark six-nation deal reached last year. -- AFP
