The friendly joint handshakes by senior diplomats from the nations most-closely concerned with the Korean nuclear issue might signal some degree of common aspiration for lasting peace on the peninsula.

Meanwhile, the five guest delegations expressed thanks to their Chinese hosts for facilitating the talks and mediating between the various parties.

The Korean nuclear issue remains one of the last relics of the Cold War. The United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the main protagonists in the Korean War more than half a century ago, are wrangling over the nuclear issue, which has led to a dangerous escalation and even a threat of war.

Since March 2003, China has been active in shuttle diplomacy, which resulted in a trilateral meeting between China, the DPRK and the United States in April in Beijing.

Two high-ranking Chinese diplomats, Dai Bingguo and Wang Yi, made separate visits to Pyongyang and Washington, to exchange views with their counterparts there.

While meeting with US Vice-President Dick Cheney, Dai, vice foreign minister, delivered a letter from Chinese President Hu Jintao to US President George W. Bush.

In addition to the political resolve to aid a settlement to the Korean nuclear issue, Chinese diplomats have been skillful at arranging multilateral events such as the talks.

The Chinese hosts creatively designed the negotiation table into a giant hexagon, making all sides sit as equals at the same table. And the spacious conference hall was equipped, seemingly inadvertently, with comfortable couches in four corners for coffee breaks. Witnesses said that the US and DPRK delegates crowded into one corner for more than 40 minutes for a casual meeting.

At a news briefing after the conclusion of the talks, Wang Yi, China's chief negotiator, said that although future talks are not guaranteed to be smooth, the six parties might find a way to peacefully solve the Korean nuclear issue, leading to a lasting peace on the peninsula, so long as they make concerted efforts.

Since the early 1990s, US administrations, based on intelligence reports, have urged the DPRK to allow access to the international community for inspection of its nuclear facilities.

The Korean nuclear debate heated up again after Kelly, as the US president's special envoy, visited Pyongyang in October 2002, and alleged that the DPRK had an enriched uranium program.

Pyongyang at first insisted on one-to-one talks with the United States, and urged Washington to sign a legally binding non-aggression agreement. At the same time, the Americans pressed the DPRK to give up its nuclear program and accept multi-party talks.

Summarizing the common ground between the various parties and the progress made during the talks, Wang, the chief negotiator on the Chinese team, said that the six parties, with sincerity and hope, came to Beijing to discuss peace on the Korean Peninsula.

"The talks have brought about progress, while some disagreement remains," Wang said.

However, he said, "all the parties have agreed that the Beijing talks have been helpful."

Following the end of the Cold War, Li Dunqiu, secretary-general of the Chinese Society for the Study of Korean History, said the power equilibrium in Northeast Asia collapsed.

"Any unbalanced stalemate can be extremely dangerous," said Li, also a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Northeast Asia desperately needs an effective consultation mechanism for addressing security issues, he noted.

"Six-party talks might be a good channel for future consultations," Li said, adding that China has received international praise for activating the talks.

Commenting on the six-party talks Friday, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, a former foreign minister, said, "No matter how sharp and complicated the contradictions and conflicts are among different countries, a solution acceptable to all sides concerned should and can be found through communication and dialogue. This is the best way to ensure national and regional security."

(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2003)