(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-29 11:43

BEIJING - US chief negotiator to the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue Christopher Hill said Saturday morning the energy assistance issue will be under discussion as the fresh session of the sixth round of the six-party talks enters the third day.

"This morning we would have discussions about energy assistance through the fuel oil," Hill said.

China, the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Russia have agreed to participate in this tranche energy assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in exchange for the disablement of the nuclear facilities, he said.

The landmark February 13 agreement says the DPRK must declare all nuclear programs and disable all existing nuclear facilities, including graphite-moderated reactors and its post-treatment plant, and other parties must provide a total of one million tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent aid to the DPRK, with the initial shipment of 50,000 tons.

The ROK delivered 6,200 tons on July 15, sooner after which the DPRK announced its shutdown of the Yongbyon reactor, a widely regarded substantial step, after a 10-member team of UN inspectors arrived in the capital Pyongyang to verify and monitor the reactor sealing.

The ROK has already provided the initial batch of 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil to the DPRK.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday that 50,000 tons of heavy oil assistance provided by China had recently arrived at the DPRK.

"The Chinese would be first in this tranche and we would be the next, and I think Russia is planning something," added Hill, referring to the energy assistance after the ROK's delivering.

The White House said Friday that President George W. Bush had authorized 25 million US dollars in energy aid to the DPRK.

US media said the money would be used to pay for 50,000 tons of fuel oil for the DPRK, part of the agreement reached in February this year in Beijing.

Asked whether there would be a possible extension of the ongoing session, Hill said he had not received any notice from host China.

The talks that involve China, the United States, the DPRK, the ROK, Russia and Japan, began on Thursday and is scheduled to end Sunday.