Six-party nuclear talks to resume Sept. 13

Six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear crisis will begin on September 13, as had been expected, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

In the last round, negotiators from South and North Korea, the United States, Japan, Russia and China went through several drafts of a broad set of principles in 13 days of discussions on dismantling the North's nuclear programs in return for aid and security guarantees, reports Reuters.

According to Bloomberg, North Korea delayed returning to Beijing as scheduled on the week of Aug. 29, citing U.S.-South Korean annual military exercises. The Kim Jong II regime said earlier it would return to the talks during the week of Sept. 12.

Talks stalled last month after North Korea insisted on retaining a peaceful nuclear program to produce power. U.S. officials are concerned North Korea may convert a civilian nuclear program to military use and build nuclear weapons. North Korea said on Feb. 10 it had nuclear weapons and planned to build more.