North Korea Stands Firm on the Demand for Nuclear Energy

According to a Russian diplomat's statement in Beijing, North Korea's right to develop peaceful nuclear programs and build a light-water nuclear reactor has been included in the draft of a joint agreement on the principles of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Alexeyev also said China had requested all the participants in the talks to decide whether they agree to the compromise document by September 17.

"In our opinion, it is a balanced document, and the text that has been proposed by China satisfies all the participants in the talks," Deputy Alexander Alexeyev, leader of the Russian delegation at the fourth round of multilateral talks on the Korean Peninsula's nuclear problem.

This round of negotiations between China, Russia, Japan, South and North Korea and the United States reached no convenient agreement in early August. Thus it resumed on Tuesday.

North Korea held its position on the demands for nuclear energy on Friday, but said it would accept joint management and inspections of a light-water reactor.