US, DPRK end financial talks, making some progress

Source: CCTV.com | 02-01-2007 08:17

The US and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have concluded two days of financial talks in Beijing. The US negotiator was positive about the outcome of the meeting.

The US and the DPRK held a second round of talks at the DPRK embassy on Wednesday, following discussions at the US embassy on Tuesday.

They discussed US restrictions taken against a Macao-based bank in 2005. The United States accused the bank of laundering counterfeit money that Washington claims was produced in the DPRK. US negotiator said that some progress has been made.

Daniel Glaser, US Deputy Ass't Treasury Secretary, said, "We went through 50 suspected accounts one by one, and we have improved our mutual understanding."

In contrast, the DPRK refused to give any comment. But experts said it wants Washington to first end the financial isolation campaign and lift a freeze on 24 million US dollars in accounts at Banco Delta Asia. And it still insisted that the financial dispute be tied to the disarmament talks.

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that the next session of six-party talks will begin on the eighth of February.

"The six-party talks are expected to restart next month, a week before the Spring Festival the most important traditional holiday for Chinese people. It means that negotiators may only have a week to bargain in this round of hard talks. It remains to be seen whether there will be any substantial progress to make.

Editor:Du Xiaodan