Could 6-party talks make some progress?

6-party talks will be started on 18th December. It has taken one year and a month to resume the 6-party talks.

From the 9.19 joint agreement, main obstacle was Banco Delta Asia problem. Pyungyang repeatedly has said that "First, Washington have to lift sanction and then we could join the 6-party talks."

31th October, Chris Hill and Kim gey Gwan, diplomat of DPRK met in China secretly and made breakthrough. That day China released that 6-party talks would be resume.
But we don't konw how could they made an agreement both of them didn't mention about what is the solution of BDA problem.

28-29th November, there was second meeting. Before that day South Korea U.S. and Japan made a kind of joint proposal to DPRK and it contains initial elements that DPRK have to do. On that meeting, I thought that if they couldn't set the date, it means failure of meeting ; In my view, U.S. wanted to get early harvest and without DPRK's promise - they will do some concrete action like stop the nuclear reactor and report about nuclear sites - Washington would not set the date.

Till now, there is no signal that DPRK has answered. But China set the date and other countries agreed to have 6-party talks open on 18th December. How could it be?

Diplomats explained that matter as following.....

1. There was no answer from DPRK, but there is or may be some signal that they don't want to break the round table.
2. It's better to open the talks and leave the momentum live than delay 6-party talks.
3. Bush's government - defeated in the middle vote - wants to make some progress quikly and DPRK - under the UN saction and China's pressure - have to do something.