Beijing, Aug 26: Even as North Korean negotiators arrived here today for the crucial Six-Party Talks on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme, diplomats from five other participating countries kicked off parlays to find a peaceful end to the 10-month-long stand-off between the United States and North Korea.
The North Korean delegation is headed by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Yong Il, who just smiled and waved at media at Beijing's international airport before being whisked off in a convoy of limousines.
However, China's official Xinhua news agency reported that the North Korean side considers the Korean situation "still serious because of the US hostile policy toward North Korea, and hopes the Six-Party Talks will contribute to solution of the nuclear issue."
The North Korean delegation was the last to arrive for the three-day closed-door multilateral talks on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme to be held here from Wednesday at the leafy Diaoyutai State Guest House.
Senior envoys from the US, South Korea, Japan and Russia arrived yesterday and were engaged in bilateral talks and group meetings aimed at exchanging views on the latest situation as well as fine-tuning their negotiating stand ahead of the official start of talks.



The Russian side held a meeting with the South Korean delegation and was expected to meet with the Japanese side in the afternoon. The delegations from Japan, the US and South Korea also plan to meet today.


Bureau Report