Six-party North Korea talks resume in Beijing

Six-party negotiations on the denuclearization of North Korea resumed in Beijing Monday, state media reported. The talks will focus on establishing a protocol to verify North Korea’s declaration of its nuclear program. Envoys believe the negotiations will be difficult. North Korea has already said it will refuse to speak with Japan, which has yet to deliver previously promised aid until more progress on the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea is made. The US and North Korea still disagree on the verification methods to be used and on the sampling of atomic material. Under an agreement reached in February last year, North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for economic aid and diplomatic incentives, but later said it had slowed its denuclearization efforts because economic compensation was slow.