The chief Chinese delegate to the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue said on Thursday that all parties involved should get over difficulties and make constructive efforts to implement the joint statement reached during the last round in September at an early date.

Wu Dawei, also vice foreign minister, hosted a reception for the chief delegates to the fifth round of talks yesterday evening and described the process of implementing the September agreement as one of increasing mutual understanding and trust, urging them to build consensus and allay misgivings.

The chief delegates held a plenary session and bilateral consultations on Thursday morning.

At the plenary session, all parties expounded their respective stances on how to implement what some consider a landmark agreement, and conducted candid discussions, according to a press release from the Chinese delegation.

"Each party has noticed the affirmative elements in proposals from other parties," said the release, but the parties still have differences on some points.

The fifth round of talks, which involve China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea and the US, started on Wednesday morning at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2005)