N.Korea nuclear talks to start on Thursday-envoy

SEOUL, July 8 (Reuters) - The next round of six-country talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programme will begin on Thursday in Beijing, South Korea's envoy to the discussions told local reporters on Tuesday.

"The official schedule for the top envoys' meeting will start in the afternoon of July 10. We are meeting for the first time in nine months," South Korean envoy Kim Sook was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency before leaving for Beijing.

The talks that bring together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States are being held a few weeks after North Korea made a long-delayed declaration of its nuclear programme. The United States has said in return it has begun to take the North off its terrorism blacklist. (Reporting by Rhee So-eui, writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Keiron Henderson)