All sides in the six-party talks agreed that a nuclear weapon free Korean Peninsula is in the interests of all nations involved and conducive to peace, stability and prosperity in Northeast Asia, said a Chinese official in Beijing Wednesday.  

Liu Jianchao, deputy director-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Information Department, made the remark at a press briefing following the first-day session of the six-party talks, which opened here Wednesday morning.

The discussions in the morning were conducted in a "calm and practical" atmosphere, he said.

According to Liu, all sides agreed to seek a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

They all agreed that no matter how difficult the talks could be, the process should continue, Liu said.

All sides agreed to take concerted and coordinated steps to resolve the nuclear issue on the peninsula and address concerns of relevant sides, he said.

The participants agreed action is the most effective way for building trust, he said.

Relevant sides had direct contacts Wednesday afternoon, Liu said.

According to previous information revealed by the Republic of Korea (ROK) delegation head Lee Soo-Hyuck, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States delegations had their first bilateral consultations in the second round of the six-party talks.

The second round of the six-party talks involves China, the DPRK, the United States, the ROK, Russia and Japan.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2004)