U.S. Official Leaves After N. Korea Talks

U.S. and North Korean officials met for a second day in Beijing amid optimism that the defections of two North Korean diplomats would not stall efforts for peace on the Korean peninsula. Charles Kartman, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of State, left after his meeting today with Kim Gye Gwan, the North Korean vice foreign minister. Officials on both sides were tight-lipped. At issue was whether North Korea would still join the U.S., South Korea and China in New York next week for discussions aimed at establishing an agenda for talks to negotiate a peace treaty.