The Russian delegation, headed by the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losiukov, held a consultation with the US delegation in Beijing Tuesday at the Russian Embassy to China before the second round of six-party talks.  

The consultation is still on-going at press time, and sources with the Russian embassy here said they don't know how long the closed-door consultation will last.

The US delegation was headed by James Kelly, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs who arrived in Beijing Monday evening.

The Russian and Japanese delegations held another consultation Tuesday morning, sources said, declining to give more details.

The six-party talks, involving China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, were scheduled to start on Feb. 25.

Losiukov briefed Kelly on his meeting with Chinese delegation head and Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday, sources said.

The Russian delegation will also consult with the DPRK and ROK counterparts, sources said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2004)