The Republic of Korea (ROK) will do its "utmost" to make the six-party talks a turning point in resolving the Korean nuclear issue, Lee Soo-Hyuck, ROK deputy minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Beijing Tuesday.  

Lee, also the head of the ROK delegation, made the remarks after consultations with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The ROK delegation would present a detailed proposal based on the ROK government's previous three-phase proposal to the talks, he said, adding that the proposal would enunciate the ROK stance on security guarantees and the freezing of the nuclear program.

He said the two sides had an exchange of views on a host of issues and reached extensive consensus during the 90-minute discussions.

Lee also disclosed that the ROK delegation would hold consultations with the delegation of the Democratic People' Republic of Korea (DPRK) Tuesday evening.

The ROK side would exchange views with the DPRK and brief the DPRK on the stance of the six-party talks agreed by the ROK, the United States and Japan, aiming to make progress in the talks, he said.

The ROK, the United States and Japan held a closed-door meeting in Seoul Monday for policy coordination before leaving for Beijing.

It was a possibility that the ROK side would revise its Wednesday proposal at the six-party talks after exchanging views with the DPRK delegation, Lee added.

He also said the ROK and Russian delegations would hold pre-talks discussions Wednesday morning.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2004)