China hosts N. Korea energy talks

BEIJING, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Six country talks on providing North Korea economic aid in exchange for its nuclear program dismantlement began in Beijing Wednesday.

"The meeting will focus on assistance other than heavy fuel oil and who will provide what," said Chun Yung-woo, South Korea's head delegate to the talks, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Representatives of North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States discussed the implementation of the deal struck in October in which Pyongyang is to receive 950,000 tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent to compensate for the closure of its nuclear plant last month.

So far, China, South Korea and the United States have each sent 50,000 tons of oil, and Russia has reportedly offered the next 50,000 tons, the report said.

The six countries have been in negotiations since 2002 when Washington accused Pyongyang of enriching uranium from the facility that in turn was being turned into atomic weapons.