Special reports: 4th round of six-party talks    

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (C), Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei (3rd, L), also head of the China delegation, Kim Kye-gwan (2nd, L), head of the delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Christopher Hill (1st, L), head of the United States delegation, Song Min-soon (2nd, R), head of the delegation of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Alexander Alexeyev (3rd, R), head of the Russia delegation and Sasae Kenichiro (1st, R), head of the Japan delegation, hold hands together at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in Beijing July 26, 2005. The new round of six-party talks opened at 9:00 Tuesday morning here in Beijing. (Xinhua Photo)

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (C), Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei (3rd, L), also head of the China delegation, Kim Kye-gwan (2nd, L), head of the delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Christopher Hill (1st, L), head of the United States delegation, Song Min-soon (2nd, R), head of the delegation of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Alexander Alexeyev (3rd, R), head of the Russia delegation and Sasae Kenichiro (1st, R), head of the Japan delegation, pose for photos at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in Beijing July 26, 2005.  (Xinhua Photo)

The fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue started at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing July 26, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

    BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhuanet) -- The fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue started at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing Tuesday morning.

    Delegates from China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan would explore ways to resolve the issue in the following days.

    Achieving concrete progress most important for six-party talks: DPRK

Kim Kye-gwan, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), also head of the DPRK delegation, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in Beijing July 26, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

    The most important thing for the ongoing six-party talks is to achieve concrete progress in denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula, said Kim Kye-gwan, head of the delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Beijing Tuesday.

    Reopening the talks is very important, but it is more important to achieve concrete progress during the talks, said Kim, also DPRK's vice foreign minister, at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks.

    It needs political will and strategic resolution of all the parties concerned to wipe out all the threats of a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula and to realize a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula, he said.

    "The DPRK delegation promises that it has got ready for that," said Kim, adding that he believed that the US and other delegations had also been ready for the goal.

    If all the participants could take an attitude of cooperation and understanding, the goal of denuclearization would be realized, he said.

    He promised the DPRK side would work together with the other five parties to prevent the meeting from becoming one without any concrete progress.

    US says it has no intention to attack DPRK 

Christopher Hill, head of the US delegation and US Assistant Secretary of State, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks July 26. (Xinhua)

    The United States regarded the sovereignty of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a fact and it has no intention to dispatch troops or attack the DPRK, said Christopher Hill, head of the US delegation and US Assistant Secretary of State, in Beijing Tuesday.

    Noting that the six-party talks is at a crucial moment, Hill said there may exist many different options to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, but the best choice is to conduct negotiation through the six-party talks.

    Avoiding problems is not a solution, he said at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

    Hill said the United States has always hoped that the six-party talks could be resumed as early as possibly since the third round of the talks in June last year.

    In the past year when the six-party talks was suspended, the US side had one-on-one contact with the DPRK for six times under the framework of the six-party talks, he said.

    During the contacts, the US side had made clear its key stance and opinions to the DPRK, and the United States is ready for "serious" talks under the same framework, he added. 

    China appeals for flexibility, pragmatism in fourth six-party talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in Beijing July 26, 2005.  (Xinhua Photo)

Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, also head of the China delegation, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in Beijing July 26, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

    Chinese Foreign Ministry Li Zhaoxing Tuesday urged negotiators to show flexibility and hold a pragmatic attitude to seek "positive" progress in the new round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

    Li said that realizing the a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and maintaining long-term regional peace and stability is in the interests of all parties concerned.

    "Adhering to the process of peaceful talks is the sole correct choice," he said.

    China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan are involved in the talks.

    Li said the the six parties reached a consensus in the last three rounds of talks on three aspects, including adhering to the goal of realizing a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, the direction of the process of peaceful talks and maintaining peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.

    He said all the parties should cherish the consensus, which was also broadly welcomed by the international community.

    The fourth-round six-party talks was originally scheduled for September last year. Li said after waiting for more than one year,the international community is expecting new progress in the new round of talks.

    The six-party talks is a realistic and effective way to solve disputes, he said, hoping that all the participants would improve consultation based on the foundation laid during the last three rounds of talks, enhance mutual understanding by shelving differences and seeking common views to achieve positive progress.

    As differences remained, "The talks will probably encounter various difficulties and disturbance," the Chinese foreign minister said.

    However, he believed that through a step-by-step process, the solution would be finally reached.

    The Chinese side will continue to coordinate and cooperate withthe other parties and make unremitting efforts to realize a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and maintain regional peace and stability, he said.

    ROK urges all parties to focus on denuclearization of Korean Peninsula

Song Min-soon, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and head of the ROK delegation, delivers a speech. (Xinhua)

    The Republic of Korea (ROK) Tuesday urged all parties concerned to concentrate on trying to realize the target of building a nuclear-weapons-free Korean Peninsula.

    "It is not ideal for the parties concerned to distract from this target during the new round of the six-party talks," said Song Min-soon, head of the ROK delegation and deputy foreign minister.

    Analysts here noted Song might be referring to Japan's plan to put forward the abduction issue during the talks.

    Song described the talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue as a framework to promote the realization of a nuclear-weapons-free Korean Peninsula, saying that all the parties concerned should take care of each other's stance and respect each other's interests during the talks.

    The ROK had proposed previously that if the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed to give up its nuclear program, the ROK would be ready to "provide 2 million kilowatt-hour of electricity annually" to the DPRK by building a cross inter-Korean border power line.

    "This proposal could become the key to resolve the nuclear issue," said Song.

    The ROK hoped the DPRK would give up its nuclear program, and the other countries concerned would make definite promise to realize normalization of bilateral relations with the DPRK and provide security guarantee to the DPRK," Song said.

    Japan vows to help six-party talks make substantive progress

Sasae Kenichiro, head of the Japanese delegation and director general of the Asia and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, delivers a speech. (Xinhua Photo)

    Japan will make positive contribution to a possible substantive progress in the fourth six-party talks, said Sasae Kenichiro, head of the Japanese delegation and director general of the Asia and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, in Beijing Tuesday.

    Sasae Kenichiro said, "Japan believes the six-party talks is the best framework for the peaceful settlement of the Korean nuclear issue."

    The Japanese delegation will cooperate with the other five delegations closely with a flexible and constructive attitude in pushing forward the six-party talks, he added.

    Sasae Kenichiro also urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to completely abandon all of its nuclear programs. The abandonment will be in conformity with the common aspiration of the international community and with DPRK's own interest, Sasae Kenichiro said.

    He noted that to resolve the Korean nuclear issue is a precondition for Japan to normalize its relationship with DPRK. Other preconditions include settlement of missile and abduction issues, according to Sasae Kenichiro.

    Russia wants concrete measures to resolve Korean Peninsula nuclear issue

Alexander Alexeyev, head of the Russian delegation and deputy foreign minister, delivers a speech. (Xinhua)

    The six-party talks should find out concrete measures to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, said Alexander Alexeyev, head of the Russian delegation, in Beijing Tuesday.

    All the participants had known the goal and principles of the six-party talks clearly, so the most important thing was that all sides should have a common understanding of "denuclearization" andfind out concrete measures to resolve the issue, said Alexeyev, also Russian deputy foreign minister.

    "We have has a good foundation, that is, the fruits that we have achieved in the former three round of the talks," he said at the opening ceremony of the fourth round of the six-party talks.

    The declaration that the DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK) made in 1992 was also part of the good foundation, he said.

    The talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue involves the six nations of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the ROK, Russia and Japan.

    The Russian deputy foreign minister said he hoped that with progress was made during the talks, the relevant sides could normalize their relations in diplomatic, political, economic and social fields.

    "Under this circumstances, Russia welcomes the intention to solve bilateral concerns within the framework of the six-party talks," Alexeyev said.

    Russia adheres to a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula, he said.

    The "package solution" to the nuclear issue that Russia had proposed had not lost its feasibility, he said, adding that Russiawas willing to revise it if necessary.

    Russia has proposed a package solution to the issue, that is, to create a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and provide security guarantee for every country in the region, including the DPRK.

    The only feasible way to resolve the issue is to hold diplomatic talks in accordance with the spirit of mutual respect, mutual understanding and equality, and take the concerns of all sides into consideration, he said. Enditem