South Korean top negotiator Chun Yung-woo said here Wednesday evening that some unexpected difficulties might emerge in the next phase of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue.
"There will be some unexpected difficulties in the next phase but the South Korean delegation will do its best to reach the goal of the talks," Chun said.
How to implement the achieved consensus is a difficult issue and the South Korean delegation will make utmost efforts to "achieve expected results," he said.
Chun, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, arrived in Beijing Wednesday afternoon for the upcoming second session of the sixth round of the six-party talks scheduled to last from Thursday to Sunday.
"The core theme of this session is to make North Korea declare all its nuclear programs and disable its nuclear facilities," Chun told reporters at the airport upon his arrival.
Declaration and disablement of nuclear facilities are equally important. This year's goal is to achieve both, said another South Korean official who declined to give his name.
"It will be good to fully declare all nuclear facilities at onetime," he said. "But it's not helpful to waste much time on discussing the proportion of declaration and disablement, which may postpone the process of denuclearization."
The step of denuclearization will include some measures used during disablement of nuclear facilities, but a full declaration must be made before that, he said.
"The disablement of nuclear facilities is just a beginning. Denuclearization is much more important," he said.
A detailed schedule for this round of talks is not made yet. South Korea and the US will hold a meeting prior to the meeting between South and North Korea, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2007)
