CHINA / National |
China calls for progress in Six-Party nuclear talks(Xinhua)Updated: 2007-06-26 20:57 China on Tuesday called on the six parties to the Korean Peninsula nuclear talks to fulfil their commitments and make further progress. "The fund issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has finally been resolved and a new round of intense contacts has started," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said. "China appreciates the positive stances and constructive efforts of the parties and hopes they continue to fulfil their commitments and implement initial actions to push for progress of the Six-Party talks and progress in achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula," Qin said. China was communicating and consultating closely with the parties on the next steps in the talks, Qin told a regular press conference. The DPRK on Monday announced the dispute with the United States over 25 million U.S. dollars frozen in Macao's Banco Delta Asia had been resolved, and vowed to start implementing the disarmament deal struck in February. The financial dispute over the return of the frozen assets held up progress of the talks for months. In a related development, a working-level delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), headed by its deputy director general Olli Heinonen, arrived in Pyongyang Tuesday to discuss the shutdown of the DPRK's nuclear facilities at Yongbyon. Qin said Heinonen would brief China about the visit after he returned to Beijing on Saturday, but "relevant arrangements are still under discussion". "China is open to whatever proposals that are conducive to achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and peace and stability in northeast Asia," Qin said. |
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