The six parties involved in the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue
on Monday made their final attempt to clinch a deal, but no
breakthrough was announced till late night.
The talks entered the fifth day Monday with energy aid still as
the focus of negotiations.
Instead of returning to their hotels, all chief negotiators
stayed in the State Diaoyutai Guesthouse by late Monday night.
A series of one-on-one talks were held after the supper,
involving North Korea and the US, according to the press
center.
"The result will come out soon," a Chinese envoy said on
condition of anonymity late Monday.
Yet envoys were said to be debating on whether to extend the
negotiations for another day.
An official from the South Korean delegation said Monday
afternoon that the talks cannot foresee an optimistic result as
consultations are stretched into the end of what is expected to be
the final day of negotiations.
The official, on condition of anonymity, said South Korea has
not heard from China that the talks would conclude on Monday and
the parties are still discussing a preliminary Chinese draft.
The draft, circulated on Thursday, reportedly proposes halting
within two months the work at nuclear sites in North Korea,
including the Yongbyon reactor, and supplying Pyongyang with
alternative energy sources.
(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2007)
