GENEVA. Dec 11: The countries that fought each other in the 1950-53 Korean conflict hailed as a success the launch here of landmark peace talks, but warned there was still a long way to go, reports AFP.

"It is significant that after all those years, the four countries involved have sat down at one table to put a final end to the Korean conflict." a South Korean government source told AFP Thursday.

But he said it was still only the beginning and that "the road is going to be very very long and bumpy "

South and North Korea, the United States and China ended a ground-breaking first round of peace talks Wednesday with an agreement to continue negotiations on March 16.

However, the thorny issues not tackled in the first round of talks would be taken up at consultations in Beijing in mid-

February. the source said.

"We had hoped to get some things agreed on the agenda in this round, but we knew that was too much to ask for in this round," the government source said.

"But we are pleased with the results of the peace talks, and will look forward to the next round." he said.

He said that in Beijing the four parties were expected to put all "the final touches and agree on the things to discuss on the agenda, and the next talks here in Geneva."

"But if the worst comes to the worst and nothing is agreed in Beijing, we will have to bring them up in the next round of talks. But we are going to push to get some of the agenda fixed for the next meeting." he said.

The United States side, which chaired this round of talks, expressed satisfaction with the outcome.