China sticks to peaceful settlement of the Korean Peninsula
nuclear issue through six-party talks, Tang Guoqiang, Chinese
ambassador to the United Nations' Vienna Office said on Wednesday,
urging relevant parties to fulfill their commitments.
"China always stands for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula, the
maintenance of peace and stability on the Peninsula and in
Northeast Asia and the peaceful settlement of the Korean Nuclear
Issue through dialogue and consultation," Tang said at a board
meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The 35-nation board of governors of the UN's nuclear watchdog
started a regular session here on Monday. The Korean Peninsula
nuclear issue was among the topics to be discussed today when the
meeting entered its third day.
Tang said the six-party talks have become an important platform
for all parties to enhance mutual understanding and trust and to
carry out dialogue and consultation on the peninsular
denuclearization, the normalization of relations among countries
concerned and the building-up of a harmonious pattern in Northeast
Asia.
Launched in 2003, the six party talks involve China, North and
South Korea, the US, Japan and Russia.
Tang, who is formally the Chinese Permanent Representative to
the UN and Other International Organizations in Vienna, said that
the six-party talks have produced concrete results thanks to the
joint efforts undertaken by all parties.
Following their joint statement on September 19, 2006, the six
parties adopted a joint document on February 13 to take initial
actions for the implementation.
According to the February 13 deal, North Korea shall shut down
its nuclear facilities while the other parties shall provide
emergency energy assistance to it and the shipment will commence
within the next 60 days.
"This fully reflects the political will of all parties to
achieve early denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through
peaceful means, constitutes their sincerity and common
understanding and marks an important progress in the peninsular
denuclearization and six-party talks process," Tang said.
Tang noted that the main difficulty currently encountered in the
six-party talks is the DPRK financial issue involving Macao-based
Banco Delta Asia (BDA), but all parties concerned are having close
consultations and have made hard efforts.
"What's encouraging is that in face of the difficult situation,
all parties are steadfast in their will to comply with the joint
statement and the North Korean side has expressed on many occasions
that it will take steps to abandon its nuclear program and invite
IAEA personnel to visit North Korea pending settlement of the
financial issue." Tang said.
Meanwhile, Tang urged all parties concerned to fulfill their
commitments under the February joint document and find proper
solutions to the relevant issues with consideration for each
other's concerns.
Tang said China has made restless efforts towards the peaceful
solution of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and will continue to
work with the relevant parties and the international community to
move the talks forward.
(Xinhua News Agency June 14, 2007)
