The chief U.S. envoy to the six-nation North Korean nuclear
negotiations says no progress has been made on finding a way to verify
the regime's claims it has ended its nuclear program.
Assistant
Secretary of State Christopher Hill says Wednesday's meetings in
Beijing ended without an agreement among the parties on a proposal put
forward by China.
The draft document spelled out procedures international inspectors could use to verify Pyongyang's nuclear claims.
The
United States insists inspectors must be allowed to take samples of
material from nuclear sites to prove North Korea had disabled its
efforts to build nuclear weapons. But Pyongyang denies it had earlier
agreed to allow sampling, calling it a violation of its sovereignty.
In
addition to establishing verification procedures, Hill told reporters
Tuesday the current talks aim to produce a timetable for the final
disablement of North Korea's nuclear facilities and a schedule for
delivering energy aid to the country.
Other nations involved in the talks include both North and South Korea, Japan and Russia.
In
a related development, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency
says Washington has recognized the regime as a nuclear power. KCNA is
apparently seizing on a report issued last month by the U.S. Joint
Forces Command that places Pyongyang alongside such regional nuclear
powers as China, India, North Korea and Russia.
But the
command, which is responsible for coordinating the U.S. military's
combat efforts, says official U.S. policy does not recognize North
Korea as a nuclear power.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
