BEIJING: Six-party talks aimed at ending the crisis over North Korea's nuclear ambitions resumed in Beijing yesterday after a one-year hiatus, with positive signals from both Washington and Pyongyang raising hopes for progress.
While few expect a breakthrough this week, the atmosphere ahead of the fourth round of discussions between the two Koreas, the United States, Russia, Japan and China has been upbeat.
The US held a rare one-on-one meeting with North Korea on Monday and another yesterday that sources said lasted more than an hour, raising hopes of a less confrontational approach to talks which have dragged on for nearly three years.
Meanwhile, the European Union could raise humanitarian aid to North Korea as part of renewed international efforts to end the crisis over its nuclear ambitions, the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said.