Preparations for Six-party talks were in place

watch video

Source: CCTV.com | 11-03-2006 07:45

China has hailed the DPRK's decision to return to the deadlocked six-party talks, three weeks after its first nuclear test. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao made the remarks at a press conference.

Liu Jianchao praised flexibility shown by both Pyongyang and Washington during their closed-door talks in Beijing earlier this week.

Liu Jianchao said, “Both the DPRK and the US showed flexibility during the three-party meeting and both sides discussed their concerns over the financial issues and reached a consensus. The Chinese government highly appreciates the constructive attitude adopted by the DPRK and the United States through discussions within the framework of six-party talks,”

Liu said no date had been set for the resumption of the talks, but that preparations were in place.

Liu also said, “The consensus reached by the three parties is that the six-party talks should be restarted in coming days when it is convenient for all six parties. The earlier the better.”

As to doubts over whether China is observing the UN resolution 1718, which imposes arms sanctions on the DPRK, the spokesman said that sanctions are not the final goal, but a resumption of negotiations are.

Liu said, “Every member country of the United Nations including China bears the responsibility to undertake the UN sanctions on the DPRK. But in the meantime we shall not enlarge the scale of the sanctions.”

The six party talks have been stalled since the US imposed financial sanctions on the DPRK last September.

Sun Xiaolong from CCTV said, “Pyongyang's return to the six-party talks is a diplomatic victory for China. And puts paid to fears that negotiations would be permanently blocked by the DPRK's nuclear test on October the ninth.”

 

Editor:Sun Luying