Tokyo, Aug 01: The United States is awaiting details from China about six-nation talks aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear standoff, a Japanese official said today.
In meetings with top Japanese foreign ministry officials today, US arms control envoy John Bolton said recent indications that showed Pyongyang was opening up to talks were encouraging but that no details, including their timing, were clear.
"He said he was awaiting further news from Beijing," a foreign ministry official said after the talks Bolton held with senior vice-minister Toshimitsu Motegi and vice minister Yukio Takeuchi.
"Given the time difference (with Washington), he said he was looking forward for further developments even today," the official said.

The Russian foreign ministry said yesterday that North Korea had agreed to a US proposal to hold six-nation talks to try to resolve the nuclear standoff which erupted last October.



The talks would include North Korea, the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea.



The US state department said it was "very encouraged" by developments yesterday, with one official who asked to remain anonymous said the talks could occur as early as next month.


Bureau Report