US, North Korean Envoys Open Talks in Geneva

The two-day meeting in Switzerland is part of a flurry of working group sessions called for in a six-nation disarmament agreement in February. Under the deal, North Korea agreed to end its nuclear program in exchange for political concessions and fuel aid.

Upon arriving in Geneva Friday, the top U.S. nuclear envoy, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, said he is optimistic the talks will help resolve obstacles in the way of ending Pyongyang's nuclear program.

Hill said he hopes North Korea will declare and disable all of its facilities by the end of the year, and then begin a final phase in 2008 - scrapping all of its nuclear weapons.

In July, North Korea closed its main nuclear facility.

The next round of six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons programs is scheduled for September.

In an interview with Asian newspapers Thursday, President Bush called the North Korean nuclear issue an "unfinished task" for his administration.

Mr. Bush said he hopes that full disarmament will come before his second term ends in early 2009. - VOA News