US envoy Kelly in Beijing confers on six-party talks

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, November 19, 2003

US envoy Kelly in Beijing confers on six-party talks

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James Andrew Kelly, the United States assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, arrived in Beijing Tuesday to discuss the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) with Chinese officials.

After a three-day visit to Japan, Kelly will exchange views with China on the preparation of a new round of six-party talks, US-China relations and other important international issues, said Liu Jianchao, spokesman of the foreign ministry.

Kelly is scheduled to leave Beijing for Seoul later today, the last stop of his three-nation Asian tour.

When asked to comment on a DPRK statement that with a US offer of written security assurances, the DPRK would consider to abandon its nuclear programmes conditionally, Liu said China welcomes this.

"We maintain that it is an important, positive message sent by the DPRK to the international community. It further demonstrates the sincerity of the DPRK and is conducive to achieving the goal of resuming dialogue."

Liu said China hopes that all parties concerned will take positive steps to peacefully solve the nuclear issue, ahead of an early opening of the second round of six-party talks, said Liu.

When talking about the proposed Sino-Russian oil pipeline project, he said China has noticed reports that Russia has refused construction of the oil transmission pipeline from Angarsk oil fields in eastern Siberia to refineries in Northeast China.

He said Sino-Russian co-operation in the oil sector is a most important part of bilateral economic and energy co-operation.

When Premier Wen Jiabao met his counterpart Mikhail Kasyanov this September, China and Russia chose to continue to implement their co-operation in the energy field, he said.

That means the two sides will boost co-operation between companies in oil pipeline construction, oilfield exploitation, and oil and natural gas exports to China according to a joint statement signed in May. Liu said he believes the two countries would honour their commitments.

Responding to the US Central Intelligence Agency's report that nuclear co-operation between China and Pakistan is suspected involving nuclear weapons, Liu said China is a contracting party of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and firmly opposes any form of proliferation of nuclear weapons.

He said the co-operation on nuclear power is strictly for peaceful purposes and does not infringe on any obligation under the treaty.

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