US Wants More Monitors for North Korea Food Program Last Updated: Dec 10 2008 8:29AM The United States said Tuesday it wants more outside personnel sent to North Korea to monitor distribution of food aid in the communist country. A monitoring dispute has slowed relief efforts led by the United Nations' World Food program. Former N. Korean defectors participate in a rally near a photo showing a N. Korean child suffering from famine, in Seoul, 09 Dec 2008 The Bush administration says it wants to fully implement the North Korea food aid program it committed to earlier this year, but it says it wants more monitors sent to that country to assure that U.S.-provided food reaches those truly in need. The United States announced in May that it was resuming food aid to North Korea for the first time since 2005 in response to warnings from aid agencies that the country faced devastating food shortages.   Chinese Cabinet Appoints New Officials Last Updated: Dec 10 2008 8:27AM China's State Council, or the Cabinet, appointed nine senior officials on Wednesday. Zhong Shan, former vice-governor of eastern Zhejiang Province, was appointed Vice-Minister of Commerce, replacing Yu Guangzhou. Ding Zhongchi was appointed chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Key State-Owned Financial Organizations, replacing Zhu Yuanliang. Chen Xi was appointed Vice-Minister of Education, Ouyang Jian and Wang Wenzhang vice ministers of Culture, Wang Songhe and Lu Peijun deputy ministers of the General Administration of Customs. Jiang Jianguo was appointed deputy minister of the General Administration of Press and Publications, and Tian Xuebin deputy director of the Research Office of the State Council.   Japan PM Aso To Raise Territorial Spat With China's Wen Last Updated: Dec 10 2008 8:24AM Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso will raise the thorny issue of a territorial row involving Chinese survey ships when he meets Premier Wen Jiabao this weekend, officials said Tuesday. Aso will speak to Wen about the intrusion into waters that Tokyo considers its own when the pair meet Saturday in southwest Japan, Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said. "Prime Minister Taro Aso will raise what needs to be discussed about this case in his meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao," Nakasone told reporters. Japan lodged an official protest Monday after the Chinese ships were spotted six kilometres (four miles) southeast of the uninhabited Senkaku, or Diaoyu, islands in the East China Sea, claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan.   North Korea Talks Look At New Chinese Proposal Last Updated: Dec 9 2008 8:21AM Delegates from six nations resumed talks Tuesday on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, looking at a Chinese proposal on how to verify the secretive regime's claims about its atomic programme. A dispute over verification has been the latest snag in the long-running negotiations intended to bring an end to North Korea's nuclear activities, which tested an atomic bomb in 2006. The regime appeared to accept the verification process in October as part of a broader agreement to disable its nuclear facilities, but has since said it will not let international inspectors take test samples out of the country. "We want to complete a verification protocol," said Christopher Hill, the top US envoy to the negotiations, which have offered the North energy aid and diplomatic concessions in exchanging for stopping its atomic programme.   Envoys Gloomy As Talks Resume On North Korea Nuclear Drive Last Updated: Dec 8 2008 8:41AM Senior envoys from six countries met in Beijing on Monday for the latest round of talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear programs, amid gloom about the prospects for progress. The talks, likely a last-ditch effort by the administration of outgoing US President George W Bush to move ahead on one of its most drawn-out diplomatic challenges, began late in the afternoon, host nation China said. Hope for any progress has been dimmed by North Korea's opposition to the removal of atomic samples from its sites by inspectors. "I am afraid nobody among my counterparts saw any optimism in the prospects of the upcoming six-party talks," South Korea's chief delegate Kim Sook said before the session began.