Diplomats from China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan who are in Beijing for talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will meet at their third plenary session Friday morning.

The six parties raised their own proposals or detailed plans on solving the nuclear issue in the last two days, and on Thursday they discussed the plans at the second plenary session, according to sources with the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

All the parties have become aware that significant differences remain between the DPRK and the United States, but there is also the common ground, said Cho Tae-yong, deputy head of the ROK delegation.

Japan expressed willingness to participate in international energy assistance for the DPRK if the DPRK's nuclear-freezing initiative was confirmed, according to a member of the Japanese delegation.

"The relevant parties convened in China for the third round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue are all in a serious, pragmatic, positive and looking-forward spirit and have shown the strong political will to resolve the issue," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue.

"In this sense, the talks have made achievements already," she said.

The participants also held bilateral meetings on Thursday, including a DPRK-US meeting, diplomatic sources said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing met with and hosted a banquet for all the delegations Thursday evening.

"This round of talks has had a good beginning. Every party has raised new plans and new ideas, which added originality to the talks," Li said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 25, 2004)