Representatives from China, Japan, Russia and South Korea will join their counterparts from North Korea and the United States in Beijing in late August to hammer out a solution to the North Korean nuclear crisis. The intervening days will be filled with bilateral and trilateral discussions as each country tries to ensure that its particular interests are represented at the upcoming talks. However, the diverse nature of the participants makes consensus-building a tedious and near-impossible task, particularly as each tries to ensure that its own issues with North Korea or other participants are addressed. In the end, the six-party talks risk complicating the already confusing negotiations regarding North Korea's nuclear program — and little more than a general agreement with few finalized details likely will come from the late August meeting. Specifics more likely will come from bilateral talks on the sidelines or from future discussions involving fewer participants.