BEIJING, September 13 (RIA Novosti, Alexei Yefimov) - The participants in the six-sided talks on the Korean nuclear problem hope to adopt a joint document following the fourth round of negotiations, which started Tuesday, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev said the sides intended to complete the fourth round fast and were "carefully optimistic" about results. He said the Russian delegation had held bilateral meetings with the Chinese and North Korean delegations and that consultations with South Korea, the United States and Japan were scheduled for Wednesday.
Delegations from the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea are trying to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear program. North Korea maintains it has the right to a peaceful nuclear program, a position Washington opposes and something that has become a sticking point in the talks.
