The six countries involved in talks pertaining to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue have kept contact and negotiation throughout the recess, visiting Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei said in Pyongyang Monday.

"The date of resuming the talks is not important; the important thing is all the parties agreed to resume the talks and we all have kept contact and negotiation in the framework of the six-party talks," Wu said.

The fourth round of six-party talks -- involving China, the US, Russia, Japan, South and North Korea -- is on the track, he said.

Wu, who is also chief of the Chinese delegation to the talks, made the remarks before wrapping up his three-day visit to Pyongyang, which began on Saturday.

During his visit, Wu met with North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun, and held talks with Kim Gye-gwan and Kim Yong-il, North Korea's two deputy foreign ministers. Kim Gye-gwan is also head of the country's delegation to six-party talks.

The two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and issues surrounding the resumption of the fourth round of six-party talks.

Earlier this month, the fourth-round of six-party talks entered a three-week recess after 13 days of consultations.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2005)