The United States has no intention to invade or attack the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said James Kelly, US assistant secretary of state and the US delegation head at the opening session of the six-party talks that began in Beijing Wednesday morning. 

 

US President George W. Bush said last fall that the United States and other parties concerned will provide security guarantee to the DPRK and has no intention to invade or attack the DPRK, Kelly said, adding that it is still the policy of the United States.

 

The six-party talks are the most reliable diplomatic channel to promote the stability of the Korean Peninsula and to realize its denuclearization, he said.

 

Northeast Asia is a significant factor to world peace, stability and prosperity, and therefore the proliferation of the weapons of mass-destruction must be prevented, he said.

 

It is the stance of the United States that the DPRK should eliminate its nuclear programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible way, said the US head of delegation.

 

The settlement of the nuclear issue would open the door to all bilateral issues among all sides, and open up the prospects for peace in northeast Asia and the whole world, he said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2004)