Wu Dawei, Chinese chief negotiator speaks during the press conference held after the chief negotiators' meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, August 7, 2005. (Xinhua photo) | BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- All the six parties to the fourth round of the Korean nuclear issue talks agreed to take a recess and resume the talks in the week that begins on Aug. 29, China's chief negotiator Wu Dawei said in a chairman's statement read at a press conference on Sunday morning.
All the six delegations decided to have a brief recess so that they can go back to report to their respective governments, study further each other's positions and resolve differences which still exist.
"The specific date of when the talks would resume is yet to be set," Wu said.
During the break, all the parties will keep contact and continue consultations, according to Wu.
Wu said at the press conference following a chief delegates' meeting that the general goal of the six-nation talks is to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peacefulmanner.
"This is the consensus reached by the six delegations," said Wu, also Chinese vice foreign minister.
Since the fourth round of the talks began 13 days ago, the six parties have been working on a roadmap for the denuclearization ofthe Korean Peninsula.
"If we are climbing a mountain, we've already seen the peak of it. Now we decide to take a recess so that we can reach the peak more smoothly," Wu said, adding "This is a positive outcome of thefirst phase of the current round of talks."
Wu said he did not think a three-week break would dampen the momentum of the current round of talks.
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Wu Dawei (R), Chinese chief negotiator shakes hands with Christopher Hill, head of the United States delegation after the chief negotiators' meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, August 7. (Xinhua photo)
| He said the six nations have reached a lot of consensuses during the first-phase of the current round of talks on the basis of the previous three rounds.
"Doubtless, there are still differences in some important issues among the delegations," Wu said. "But the fact that they agreed to resume the talks three weeks later demostrates we do notfear the differences."
Wu said, "whether or not a common document will come into beingdoes not necessarily be considered an indicator to measure whetherthe talks is a success or a failure."
The basic principles of the six-way talks is to reach consensusthrough consultations, Wu said. That is to say, "all the delegations should reach agreement on all issues involved, and anyside of the six has a veto," added Wu.
"Concerns of any of the six should be those of all parties. Only when we resolve all concerns of the six parties, can we reachan agreement." This increases the difficulties for us to reach consensus, Wu added.
He also expressed the belief that the six parties would one dayreach an agreement on the common document for the Korean Peninsulanuclear issue.
Wu told the press conference he could not say for sure when thesix parties would reach the agreement.
"I can neither ensure the six parties will reach the agreement after the fourth round of talks resumes" late this month.
"But I believe that one day they will eventually reach the agreement."
In response to the question of including abduction issue into the six-party talks, which was raised by a Japanese reporter at the Sunday's press conference, Wu said the six-party talks focus on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and other issue could be resolved through other channels.
This is the consistent stance of the Chinese side, which has also been respected and understood by the Japanese side.
The first phase of the fourth round of the six-party talks was held in Beijing from July 26 to August 7, involving China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan and Russia.
According to Wu Dawei, the six parties, in the spirit of mutualrespect and equality, held serious practical and in-depth discussions and consultations in a good atmosphere on the goal of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which led to better mutual understanding, broader common ground and positive progress.
DPRK's chief negotiator Kim Kye-gwan said here Sunday that theUnited States must change its position on requiring his country toabandon all its nuclear programs.
It's the key to the success of the next-stage six-party talks, Kim said at a press conference in the DPRK embassy in Beijing after the six parties agreed to have a three-week recess.
The first stage of the fourth round of the six-party talks laida foundation for progress in the next stage, and delegates reacheda consensus on the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula andreaffirmed the principle of "word for word, action for action", Kim said.
He ascribed the failure to issue a common document mainly to the "major differences" between the DPRK and the United States on the definition of denuclearization.
The DPRK does not want to give up its right to use nuclear power peacefully while the U.S. "attempted to keep the DPRK from the right," he said.
The denuclearization cannot be realized by the DPRK alone, and the United States and the ROK should also take actions, said Kim, also vice foreign minister of the DPRK.
He added that his country is ready for more bilateral contacts and hoped the United States could change its position on requiringthe DPRK to abandon all its nuclear programs, including peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Kim said it's very important for the United States to remove its nuclear threat against the DPRK, which has prompted the DPRK to develop nuclear weapons.
He urged the United States to dismantle the nuclear weapons in the ROK and agree to receive verification.
US chief delegate Christopher Hill said here Saturday night that the US government is absolutely dedicated to finding a solution to the Korean nuclear issue, although it is not easy.
"We tried very hard to reach an agreement and we have great political will to resolve the issue," he said.
He noted that what all the parties have tried to do is to reduce the differences and to understand with great precision whatthose differences are.
The six-party talks is considered a diplomatic mechanism to seek ways to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in a peaceful manner.
The previous three rounds of the talks were here since 2003, also hosted by China at Daiyutai, a quiet compound occupied by villas and lakes in the Chinese capital, but no substantial progress was made.
The re-opening of the talks, after a 13-month-long impasse, used to rekindle the hope for a breakthrough in the nuclear dismantlement deadlock. Enditem | 
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