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Six-party talks extended by a day

Pallavi Aiyar

Beijing: The Six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue were extended by a day as negotiators worked towards reaching a consensus on the deadline for the implementation of the next phase of the denuclearisation process.

This second phase involves permanently disabling the DPRK’s Yongbyon complex in addition to a full declaration by the North of its nuclear weapons programmes.

Fulfilling its first phase obligations, Pyongyang has already shuttered all its Yongbyon facilities, a fact verified by the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Chief U.S. envoy Christopher Hill was upbeat before he left for Thursday’s negotiations. “I think there is a feeling that there is a consensus among the six as to the sort of target timeframe for completing these tasks,” Mr. Hill told reporters.

Mr. Hill has hinted at a year-end deadline. While the North has not made its stance clear with regard to timeframes, the South Korean negotiator, Chun Yung-woo, said that Pyongyang seemed open to agreement.

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