China: North Korea nulear talks resume Nov 9
(Bloomberg.com)
Updated: 2005-11-03 16:34

Talks on disarming North Korea's nuclear weapons program will resume Nov. 9 in Beijing, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear weapons on Sept. 19 in a deal brokered by China in Beijing. The joint statement, also signed by the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Russia, declare that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons program in exchange for food, development aid and full diplomatic ties with the others.

The next day, the North Korean government issued a statement through its official news agency saying it wouldn't give up its nuclear weapons until the U.S. provided a light- water reactor to produce power, casting doubt on its commitment to abide by the agreement.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il told China's President Hu Jintao last week in Pyongyang his country will abide by the joint statement and will return to the talks this month, Wang Jiarui, head of the international department of China's Central Committee, told reporters at a briefing in Beijing on Oct. 30.