President Hu Jintao met his South Korean counterpart in Moscow yesterday, discussing the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue among other areas. The same day, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) foreign ministry said they would not take part in talks with the US outside the six-party framework.

"We cannot have any form of talks with the US nor can we deal with it as long as the DPRK is branded 'an outpost of tyranny'," said a ministry spokesperson, adding that the US should "stop ignoring and insulting its dialogue partner and try to create an atmosphere favorable for the resumption of six-way talks."

Hu and Roh Moo-hyun had arrived in Moscow earlier in the day to attend today's celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War. They agreed that Chinese-South Korean relations should be boosted.

On the nuclear issue, Roh said changes in circumstances necessitate serious study by all parties and that South Korea expects China to play an active role in resolving the situation.

Hu said China believes resolving the issue peacefully through dialogue is in the interests of all concerned and therefore has actively engaged in efforts to this end. He urged all parties concerned to make joint efforts to reopen the six-party talks and to make sure they stay on course.

The six-party talks have been stalled since February, when the DPRK announced its decision to suspend their participation and, for the first time, admitted possessing nuclear arms for purposes of self-defense.

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2005)