Chief negotiators for the six-party denuclearization talks from the United States, Japan and South Korea will meet in Washington Friday to discuss dealing with the expected launch of a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) rocket, Kyodo News reported.

The three countries apparently aim to demonstrate their unified stance on the rocket launch expected to come in early April, Kyodo quoted informed sources as saying.

DPRK said the launch will be a satellite but some countries, including Japan and the United States believe it to be a long-range missile.

It will be the first meeting of the chief nuclear negotiators of the three countries since the launch of the US administration under President Barack Obama.

DPRK has resisted pressure to call off the launch and warned that any attempt to shoot down the rocket would be regarded as an act of war.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2009)