Talks Resume in Beijing on Ending North Korean Nuclear Weapons Program

A new round of the on-again, off-again talksexchange for aid and security guarantees.
aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon itsBut that was before the North tested a nuclear
nuclear weapons program has begun in Beijingdevice last October, and Pyongyang now says it
after a 13-month hiatus. Roger Wilkison reportswants to be considered a nuclear power.
from Beijing that China, Russia, Japan, SouthU.S. negotiator Christopher Hill says the
Korea and the United States are trying tointernational community will not accept North
determine whether North Korea really is preparedKorea as a nuclear state. "If they want a future
to negotiate following its nuclear test in October.with us, if they want to work with us, if they
The purpose of these talks is to get North Koreawant to be a member of the international
to implement a written pledge it made incommunity, they are going to have to get out of
September 2005 to abandon nuclear weapons inthis nuclear business.