| The chief U.S. delegate to international talks aimed | | | | was unproductive because the North's delegates |
| at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons | | | | refused to discuss anything but the financial |
| programs says steps toward that goal may come | | | | sanctions. |
| soon. VOA's Kurt Achin has more from Seoul, | | | | However, a three-day meeting between Hill and |
| where Christopher Hill is beginning regional | | | | his North Korean counterpart, along with separate |
| consultations before next week's planned nuclear | | | | talks between U.S. Treasury and North Korean |
| talks. | | | | officials, may have set the stage for progress. |
| Stepping off a plane here at South Korea's | | | | Hill says that progress is defined as concrete |
| Incheon Airport Saturday, U.S. Assistant | | | | steps by North Korea to turn its two-year-old |
| Secretary of State Christopher Hill was upbeat | | | | pledges into reality. |
| about prospects for next week's talks with North | | | | "I'm looking for some implementation of the |
| Korea. | | | | September 05 agreement, meaning something |
| "We have reason to believe - we have done lots | | | | changes on the ground," he said. |
| of consultations for this round, and we have | | | | Some international experts echo Hill's upbeat |
| reason to believe we can make some progress," | | | | prognosis for the talks. |
| he said. | | | | Don Oberdorfer, the chairman of the U.S.-Korea |
| On Thursday, China will host a new round of | | | | Institute at Washington's Johns Hopkins School for |
| six-nation talks aimed at getting North Korea to | | | | Advanced International Studies, says what he has |
| dismantle its nuclear weapons capabilities in | | | | been hearing indicates a breakthrough is possible. |
| exchange for financial and diplomatic benefits. | | | | "As I understand it, we'll find out, when the |
| Japan, Russia, and South Korea are also involved | | | | announcements are made later this week, that |
| in the negotiations. | | | | the North Koreans are very likely to shut down |
| North Korea pledged in September 2005 to begin | | | | Yongbyon - their nuclear reactor - [and] bring |
| the dismantlement process. However, it | | | | back the International Atomic Energy Agency |
| boycotted the subsequent talks for more than a | | | | inspectors to North Korea," he said. |
| year in response to U.S. Treasury Department | | | | North Korea restarted the Yongbyon reactor and |
| sanctions targeting Pyongyang's business interests. | | | | kicked out IAEA inspectors four years ago after |
| Washington has said the sanctions are a law | | | | the United States said it was secretly trying to |
| enforcement response to North Korean money | | | | build nuclear weapons in violation of several past |
| laundering and counterfeiting, and should be | | | | agreements to be nuclear free. |
| treated separately from the nuclear issue. | | | | Oberdorfer says for the United States is likely to |
| North Korea rejoined the six-nation talks last | | | | announce at least a partial lifting of the financial |
| December, two months after conducting its first | | | | sanctions. |
| nuclear weapons test. U.S. officials say the round | | | | |