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US: No breakthrough yet over Pyongyang nuclear stalemate

14 March 2008

GENEVA – There was no sign of a breakthrough Friday following talks in Geneva aimed at breaking the deadlock over North Korea’s nuclear programme.

US representative Christopher Hill described the discussion with his North Korean counterpart Kim Kye Gwan as a good consultation.

"I would say there’s been progress. But we are not there yet, and we still have to continue work on this, Hill said, adding: "I want to stress this was not a decisional meeting."

North Korea proposed the talks after Washington accused it of missing the deadline to make a full declaration on its nuclear activities by the end of 2007.

In a breakthrough deal agreed in six-party talks last year with its Korean neighbour, China, Japan, Russia and the US, Pyongyang had also agreed to disable its plutonium plant at Yongbyon in return for an energy and aid package.

The US had hoped to make bilateral progress in the negotiations before the six party talks resumed.

Hill questioned on over any progress regarding a declaration on proliferation and uranium enrichment refused to comment further.

"Let me just say we’ve had some good discussions on all substantive issues, including the ones that you mentioned," he said.

[Copyright dpa 2008]