N. Korea demands nuke reactor from U.S.
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-20 18:59

"The Japanese side has continuously said that North Korea's demand is unacceptable," Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said.

China, North Korea's closest ally in the talks, urged Pyongyang to join the other negotiating partners in implementing the commitments in "a serious manner."

South Korea remained optimistic, with its point man on North Korea relations saying the country's latest statement isn't likely to derail the Beijing agreement.

"It's possible that the parties differ over this, but we and other participating countries are going to discuss it in bilateral or multilateral contacts before the fifth round of talks resume in early November," Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said on MBC radio.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun predicted that "the United States and North Korea will likely engage in a tug-of-war," but added that prospects for resolving the nuclear issue are brighter after Monday's agreement.

Other countries at the Beijing talks made clear that the reactor could only be discussed after the North rejoins the Non-Proliferation Treaty and accepts inspections from the International Atomic Energy Agency — which North Korea pledged to do in Monday's agreement.

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli emphasized earlier in Washington that the "appropriate time" for discussing the reactor meant only after the North complies with those conditions.