A North Korean threat to test a nuclear device has overshadowed six-way talks in Beijing aimed at resolving the North's nuclear crisis.
US officials said the threat, made in a two-hour meeting between US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly and North Korean negotiators in Beijing yesterday, resembled those from Pyongyang in the past.
The move has raised doubts that even faint progress can be achieved as the third round of talks among North and South Korea, the United States, Japan, Russia and China ended their third day. The previous rounds ended with agreement only to meet again.
The negotiations are due to end tomorrow.
"It is part of nature to have some differences and difficulties but all the differences can be overcome," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.
"If we can build on our confidence, the prospects of resolving the issue are still good. Differences with regard to how to carry out a nuclear freeze still exist, but all the parties showed a positive attitude to seriously study those differences."
A diplomatic source said China had held separate talks with the United States and North Korea, trying to persuade them to agree to issue a statement outlining common ground.
Negotiations have been focused on a US offer of conditional aid and security guarantees to try to break a 20-month-old deadlock in the nuclear crisis. North Korea has put forward its own plan demanding rewards in return for freezing its ambitions.