By DPA
Washington : The top US diplomat for negotiations with North Korea is departing Tuesday for talks in South Korea, Japan and China about the nuclear disarmament deal with North Korea.
Christopher Hill will discuss implementation of the agreement as the deadline nears for North Korea to dismantle its Yongbyon nuclear reactors by the end of the year, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
North Korea agreed in February to abandon its nuclear programme in exchange for energy aid and eventual diplomatic recognition during six-nation talks that also include Russia.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met her Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, at the State Department ahead of a conference on the Middle East in Annapolis, Maryland Tuesday. Rice and Yang discussed the next steps in the six-nation process.