Russia upbeat over N. Korea nuclear talks
11/07/2008 17:05 BEIJING, June 11 (RIA Novosti) - Progress at the current six-nation talks on the North Korean nuclear issue have improved prospects for fully shutting down the country's nuclear program, a Russian diplomat said on Friday.
"Naturally, there is progress on the basis of earlier achievements," Alexei Borodavkin said.
The Russian diplomat said there were still problems accompanying the talks, but expressed hope that the parties "will finish with a good result."
Representatives from Russia, the United States, China, Japan and the two Koreas gathered in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on Thursday. As the chairman, China is expected to adopt a statement on Saturday, the last day of this round of talks.
The talks stalled late last year when Pyongyang missed a deadline to hand over nuclear data as part of a deal under which the North was promised economic aid and diplomatic incentives.
However, the talks were given new life when North Korea handed over detailed data on its nuclear activities in late June. It also demolished on June 27 the cooling tower at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, about 100 km (62 miles) north of Pyongyang. The disabling of facilities at the plant is being monitored by U.S. specialists.
North Korea has said it possesses just 37 kilograms of plutonium and has destroyed the means to make more.
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