North Korea seeking 4-party nuclear talks

A meeting between China\'s chief nuclear negotiator and North Korea\'s vice foreign minister is fueling speculation about resuming nuclear talks, observers said. Reports indicate Kim Kye-gwan had a friendly discussion with China\'s Wu Dawei in Pyongyang Tuesday, prompting speculation the two sides are trying to restart six-party negotiations that stalled in late 2008, South Korea\'s Yonhap news agency reported Last week a senior Chinese military official said he sees a chance to resume nuclear talks with North Korea, citing signs that tensions on the Korean Peninsula are easing. North Korea has made overtures about four-party talks to both South Korea and Washington. Choe Ryong-hae, the vice marshal of the North Korean People\'s Army, proposed \"four-party talks\" to China in May when he visited Beijing. \"Such talks are unlikely because there is no pledge from Pyongyang to take sincere steps toward denuclearization,\" a diplomatic source told Yonhap. The source added: \"The U.S. won\'t agree to hold such talks unless North Korea meets preconditions.\"