The negotiations on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue got deadlocked as the six parties failed to bridge their differences on the third day of the talks.

"There are still great differences on certain issues," said Chinese delegation spokesman Liu Jianchao after a chief delegates' meeting on Thursday afternoon.

The six parties, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, reopened the fourth round of talks in the Chinese capital Tuesday after a five-week recess.

However, the talks hit snag Wednesday as the DPRK delegation insisted on its right to civilian nuclear programs, especially a light-water reactor. But the US side rejected the DPRK's demand, saying it is not on the table.

"The light-water reactor for us is a non-starter," the chief US negotiator Christopher Hill said Thursday morning as he left the hotel.

The DPRK hardened its insistence on its demand for a light-water reactor Thursday evening. "There is no progress today owing to the differences between the DPRK and the United States, " a DPRK delegation spokesman told a news briefing.

"The issue of light-water reactor is the main obstacle of the talks," said the DPRK spokesman Hyon Hak-bong. "The key to denuclearization of Korean peninsula is building trust, while the key to building trust is providing light-water reactor."

The DPRK has insisted on having a light-water reactor since the nuclear issue came out, said Hyon. "However, the United States refused to provide light-water reactor without any reason although the other parties showed understanding over the issue."

The US side did not make comment immediately.

The DPRK and US delegations held a 90-minute bilateral meeting on Thursday, the second meeting since the resumption of the talks.

A ROK delegation official said the meeting failed to bridge their differences. "DPRK and US delegation chiefs didn't narrow their differences in the one-on-one meeting," which started at about 11:40 a.m., said the ROK official on condition of anonymity.

China as host acknowledged that the six-party talks are currently in difficulty, but struck an optimistic note.

"The difficulties, which are on the way of marching forward, could be surmounted," Liu Jianchao quoted Chinese chief delegate Wu Dawei as saying.

All the parties agreed that a peaceful settlement to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue "is in the interests of all parties and conducive to the peace, stability and development of Northeast Asia," Wu said.

Wu urged the parties to go on making constructive efforts proceeding the overall view of peace, security and development and pave the way for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, according to Liu.

Source: Xinhua