From Reuters:
China, host of six-party talks aimed at reining in North Korea’s nuclear program, on Thursday described North Korea’s failure to meet a deadline to account for its nuclear activities as a natural delay.
North Korea failed to meet a year-end deadline to make a full declaration of its nuclear programs under a disarmament-for-aid deal involving the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China.
“The pace is faster in some areas and slower in some areas. This is natural,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a news conference, urging all sides to fulfill their respective pledges. [Full Text]