The US and North Korea had a bilateral meeting on the bank account and denuclearization issues, top US negotiator Christopher Hill said Wednesday.

 

"In our bilateral meeting with North Korea, we talked a little about the bank account issues and agreed they are technical matters," Hill said.

 

"We also talked about the way ahead on the denuclearization issues in the 60-day period, which is why I'm here," he told reporters after returning to his hotel from a brief chief negotiators' meeting held on Wednesday evening.

 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the six-party talks will be extended and the duration of the talks will depend on the progress.

 

In the chief negotiators' session, Hill said the Chinese side proposed to stay another day or two to see if the bank accounts issue can be resolved.

 

"The North Korean delegation seems to be under very strict instructions from Pyongyang not to do much negotiation unless the money is transferred," Hill said.

 

Hill also disclosed that China and North Korea had a bilateral discussion on Wednesday.

 

"I think maybe based on that they assessed the bank issue will be resolved by tomorrow, and China assured us that we could resolve the bank issue," he added.

 

"So we will look at the situation tomorrow," he said, adding "but I don't want to wait all day long for technical people dealing with bank issues…. I really expect to get something done tomorrow."

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2007)