Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says there will be many “hiccups” in talks between the United States and North Korea on denuclearization “but I think there are very good possibilities for this dialogue to lead to a solution — a positive solution.”

He told a news conference Thursday the U.N.’s interest “is to support that effort,” which is essential for global peace and security. He said all U.N. bodies remain available to help, including its nuclear agency.

Guterres said: “This is a complex process. It’s a difficult negotiation, and I believe there will inevitably be some ups and downs along the way.”

“We need to persist and to ask all countries in the region to help facilitate things for agreements to be reached” on peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, he said.

(AP)