China is ready to join efforts with relevant parties to push for
an early start of the six-sided talks on the nuclear issue of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a Chinese Foreign
Ministry spokesman said in Beijing Monday.
In response to a question, spokesman Kong Quan said the Chinese
side welcomes the DPRK's announcement that the six-party talks will
be held in Beijing.
Kong said China attaches importance to the peace and stability
of the neighboring Korean Peninsula. China has always taken the
position that the nuclear issue should be settled peacefully
through dialogue and has made many effective efforts to that end,
he said.
To start a new round of Beijing talks and put the DPRK nuclear
issue onto a path toward peaceful resolution, China and relevant
countries have, for a period of time, made in-depth contacts at
high levels, and have gradually reached important consensus, Kong
said.
Kong said China supports expanding the range of participants of
Beijing talks and welcomes the DPRK's announcement that the
six-sided talks would be held in Beijing.
As host, China is willing to keep up consultations with relevant
parties and join efforts to push for an early start of the
six-party talks, Kong said.
China has always been open on the range of participants of the
talks, Kong said. Since the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and
Japan all actively stand for resolving the issue through dialogue,
Kong said he believed their participation will help promote a
peaceful settlement.
On the form of the talks, Kong said both the DPRK and the United
States stand for a peaceful settlement, and China has held in-depth
discussions and communications with the two countries respectively
on the reopening of Beijing talks. Both countries have put forward
many important ideas and opinions on the talks, which have been
beneficial for making the dialogues a reality, Kong added.
(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2003)