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Six-party talks next month

Hu Jintao to discuss N. Korean nuclear issue with Bush

EXTENSIVE TALKS: North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun (left) with Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei in Pyongyang on Monday. — PHOTO: AP

BEIJING: An official of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said here on Tuesday the fourth round of six-party talks on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue would be resumed next month.

``Through efforts by parties concerned, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has agreed to return to the six-party talks,'' said He Yafei, director of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry.

He briefed a press conference on President Hu Jintao's coming state visits to the U.S., Canada, Mexico from September 5 to 17. Mr. Hu will also attend the United Nations' summit marking the 60th anniversary of its founding, Mr. He said.

``During Chinese President Hu's visit to the United States, the two leaders will touch upon this nuclear issue,'' said Mr. He.

He gave no specific time for the resumption of the talks, saying China was working with other parties on the timetable.

Earlier this month, the fourth-round six-party talks, involving China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, entered a three-week recess and all the parties agreed to resume the talks in the week beginning from August 29. However, the DPRK on Monday refused to rejoin the talks as scheduled.

The parties concerned have conducted extensive consultations during the recess. "China has made efforts for resuming the talks,'' Mr. He said. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei visited Japan and DPRK, and Cui Tiankai, director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asian Department, visited the United States and the ROK, Mr. He said.

He said the main obstacle in the first-stage of the talks was that the parties concerned had differences on the scope of nuclear dismantlement and the DPRK's right of peaceful use of nuclear power. — Xinhua

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