INTERNATIONAL talks on the nuclear program of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) stalled again yesterday, with the DPRK refusing to take part until it received US$25 million from a bank blacklisted by the United States, Japan’s chief envoy said.

Kenichiro Sasae said a meeting scheduled for yesterday afternoon between the chief delegates of the six nations involved in the disarmament talks was canceled because the DPRK refused to attend.

The talks between envoys from the DPRK, South Korea, China, the United States, Japan, and Russia resumed Monday shortly after the United States announced that it will unfreeze the DPRK funds frozen in the Macao lender Banco Delta Asia.

U.S. envoys said Monday that the money would be transferred into a DPRK account at the Bank of China in Beijing. The Monetary Authority of Macao said it will release the funds “in accordance with the instructions of the account holders.” It is not known if there has been a delay in the transfer or when it will take place.

“The DPRK said they will not come to join further discussions until they confirm that their money got into their bank account in China,” Sasae said.(SD-Agencies)