S. Korea speaks highly of six-party talks

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, March 06, 2004

S. Korea speaks highly of six-party talks

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Visiting South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-Moon on Friday spoke highly ofthe recently concluded six-party talks on the nuclear issue of theKorean peninsula, saying that the outcome of the talks should not be underestimated.

"This last meeting produced the chairman's statement, which is the first agreed document in the process of the six-party talks," Ban said in a speech delivered at an occasion cosponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Korean Economic Institute in downtown Washington D.C.

"In the statement, the six parties set a time frame for the next round of meeting as the second quarter of this year, and agreed to set up a working group to prepare for the main session,"he said.

Although there remains many challenging tasks to be dealt with in order to solve the nuclear issue, he said, "the outcome on the talks so far should not be underestimated."

Ban said that the first two rounds of talks have firmly consolidated the diplomatic process of resolving the nuclear issuepeacefully through dialogue.

"The discussion on substantive issues have now begun in earnest," he noted.

All participant countries, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), have reaffirmed their commitment to a nuclear weapons-free Korean Peninsula as the ultimate goal, Ban added.

"It is my opinion that if we are to achieve the ultimate success, we should remain firm, consistent, patient in negotiatingwith North Korea (DPRK)," the minister said.

The second round of the six-party talks were held in Beijing, China on Feb. 25-28 and with the participation of China, the DPRK,the United States, South Korea, Japan and Russia.

Ban arrived here on Tuesday on a five-day visit to assess the outcome of the six-party talks with US officials.

Source: Xinhua

Questions?Comments? Click here

Six-party talks fruitful, more efforts needed

Participants comment on second round six-party talks

Chinese Vice FM follows up six-party talks

>> Full Coverage

Japanese media follows changes regarding 3 ' most-wanted' things for Chinese families ( 2 Messages)

It is unexpectedly easy to defeat "China Threat" theory: Japanese economist ( 17 Messages)

Scientific concept of development crucial to China's future growth: Premier ( 4 Messages)

China issues human rights record of the US ( 4 Messages)

China to promote "cocktail weight loss therapy" in response to WHO plan ( 2 Messages)