Chinese Mandarin - China, US urge N. Korea to return to talks

CHINA / China

China, US urge N. Korea to return to talks

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-10-20 16:15

China and the United States pressed North Korea on Friday to return to
talks on ending its nuclear arms programme and called for full
implementation of UN sanctions imposed on the country after its October 9
atomic test.

The crisis trip by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to east Asia
has been overshadowed by speculation that North Korea might be about to
detonate a second nuclear device.

But Chinese officials suggested that their envoy, sent by President Hu
Jintao to Pyongyang earlier this week, had made progress in bringing
North Korea back into line.

"Fortunately my visit this time has not been in vain," the envoy, Tang
Jiaxuan, said at the opening of his meeting with Rice, referring to his
trip to Pyongyang. Reporters were then ushered from the room.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tang and the North Koreans also
discussed how to kick-start stalled talks on Pyongyang's nuclear
programmes.

"At least it increased mutual understanding. Everyone discussed how to
restart progress in the six-party talks as quickly as possible," Li told
reporters.

The six-party talks, which bring together the two Koreas, the United
States, Japan, Russia and host China, stalled last November after
Washington imposed restrictions on Pyongyang's external financing.

At a joint briefing with Rice, Li appealed for calm and a diplomatic
solution to the crisis.

"We hope all relevant parties can maintain cool-headedness, adopt a
prudent and responsible attitude and stick to the general direction of a
peaceful resolution through dialogue," Li said.

Rice told the news conference after talks with Li that North Korea's
nuclear test was "a serious provocation" that posed a threat to peace and
security, particularly in east Asia.

"We talked about the importance of the full implementation of (UN
resolution) 1718 so we can make certain there is not a transit and trade
in illegal materials, dangerous illegal materials, concerning the nuclear
programme of the DPRK," she said referring to North Korea by its official
acronym.

'STRONG MESSAGE'

Rice's visit came one day after Beijing sent Tang to lead a mission to
North Korea to deliver what US officials said was a "very strong" message.

South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper quoted an unidentified diplomatic
source in Beijing as saying Kim told Tang that Pyongyang would return to
stalled six-party talks on ending its nuclear programmes if Washington
lifts financial sanctions.

Kim also expressed regret to Tang about the difficult position in which
the nuclear test had placed Beijing, it said.

US officials tried to lower expectations about the outcome of the meeting
and said they did not expect any major announcement such as a return to
the six-party talks.

In her meetings with China's president and foreign minister, Rice would
try and allay Beijing's scepticism over some elements of financial and
weapons sanctions imposed by the United Nations, making clear the United
States did not want to escalate tensions, said a senior State Department
official travelling with her.

Rice delivered similar messages to the governments of Japan and South
Korea on the first legs of her five-day trip.

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