November 19, 1999
Berlin - Talks between North Korea and the United States aimed at improving relations reconvened on Friday as the North Korean delegation arrived at the U.S. embassy in Berlin.
The meeting is the fourth this week in a series of sessions aimed at improving relations between Washington and the isolated communist state.
Diplomats said before the latest round of talks that they did not expect any major breakthrough from the negotiations which follow a U.S. announcement in September that it was easing long-standing economic sanctions in exchange for North Korea's pledge to freeze long-range missile tests.
A Korean diplomat on Wednesday described the atmosphere at the talks as "positive."
The United States wants firmer commitments from North Korea about restraining its missile and nuclear programs, a Western diplomat said last week.
North Korea was interested in benefiting from an easing of sanctions and moving toward normalizing ties, he added.
