Lifting UN sanctions against North Korea will help find a lasting solution to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, China's ambassador to the world body Wang Guangya said on Tuesday.

His remarks come three days before IAEA inspectors are scheduled to be in North Korea to check whether it has shut down its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon as agreed upon.

The decision to lift the curbs, however, has to come from the "main parties" that called for them last October after Pyongyang test-fired some "nuclear missiles."

Speaking after Italy's UN ambassador and chairman of the committee monitoring the sanctions Marcello Spatafora briefed the UN Security Council, Wang said: "I do hope the main parties will reconsider these (sanctions) because this will not only help improve the situation, but also find a lasting solution to this particular sensitive problem,"

But US spokesman Richard Grenell said: "We've had a previously scheduled review of the sanctions and there is no plan for any change."

Under the sanctions, all countries should prevent North Korea from importing or exporting any material that can be used to make weapons of mass destruction or ballistic missiles. Also, they should inspect cargo thoroughly to prevent illegal sale of unconventional weapons or ballistic missiles to and by the country.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei said after reaching Seoul yesterday: "We will verify that they have shut it (nuclear facility). Whether or not they shut it before is immaterial."

Professor of Tsinghua University's Institute of International Studies Liu Jiangyong said: "Wang's proposal comes at a time when North Korea is about to shut down its nuclear facility in Yongbyon."

"China wants to create a pleasant atmosphere for the resumption of the six-party talks," Liu said. The talks involving China, South and North Korea, Japan, Russia and the US, is likely to resume on July 18.

(China Daily July 12, 2007)