A top U.S. envoy say progress was made in negotiations with North Korean officials on details of a plan to supply 240,000 tons of U.S. food aid to the communist nation. Robert King, the special envoy for human rights in North Korea, spoke to reporters after Wednesday's talks in Beijing.
The talks could clear the way for the first U.S. food assistance to North Korea in three years. Last week, Washington announced an agreement under which North Korea agreed to freeze its nuclear and missile tests, and allow the return of United Nations nuclear inspectors, in return for food aid. Washington suspended its aid in 2009 after Pyongyang expelled U.S. food monitors amid concerns the food was being diverted to North Korea's military or political elite.美国的朝鲜人权问题特使罗伯特.金表示，美国与朝鲜就美国向这个共产党国家提供24万吨粮食的细节性谈判取得进展。罗伯特.金星期三在北京会谈后对记者发表了这一评论。
这次谈判有可能为美国3年来首次向朝鲜提供粮食援助扫清道路。上星期，华盛顿宣布，根据一项协议，朝鲜同意冻结其核项目和导弹试射，并允许联合国核查人员返回朝鲜，以换取粮食援助。此前，在平壤驱逐美国粮食监督员后，华盛顿担心援助的粮食落入朝鲜军队和主要政界成员手中，因此于2009年暂停实施对朝鲜的粮食援助计划。
