The nomination of Ban Ki-moon of South Korea by the United
Nations (UN) Security Council to be the organization's next
secretary-general was welcomed by China, said Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Liu Jianchao at a regular press conference in Beijing
yesterday.
China expects that Ban can be finally appointed by the UN
Assembly, Liu said.
The 15 members of UN Security Council agreed on Monday to
formally recommend South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to
succeed Kofi Annan as the next UN secretary-general and Ban will
become the eighth chief in the world body's 61-year history.
On North Korea's recent nuclear test, Liu said that the
six-party talks as a mechanism to resolve differences are "not a
failure" despite the nuclear test by North Korea.
He also urged the concerned parties to remain cool-headed and
make efforts to resolve the issue within the framework of six-party
talks.
"I don't think it (the nuclear test) should be regarded as a
failure of China's foreign policy and a failure of the six-party
mechanism. The concerned parties should continue to generate effort
to keep the six-party talks mechanism on track," Liu said.
"The six parties, together with most countries in the world, are
willing to resolve the Korean nuclear issue through consultation
and dialogue under the six-party talks framework, which is enough
to prove that the mechanism is still the best way to resolve the
issue," Liu added.
The six-party talks, involving China, South and North Korea, the
United States, Russia and Japan, stalled after North Korea
criticized the US for imposing economic sanctions after the first
phase of the fifth round of talks ended last November.
Calling the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue "tough" and
"complicated," the spokesman said joint efforts should be employed
to implement the consensus that has already been reached and work
for an early resumption of the six-party talks.
"All efforts should be conducive to the realization of a
nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, to the peace and development of the
Peninsula and Northeast Asia and to the early resumption of the
six-party talks," he explained.
China is making diplomatic efforts and hopes for positive
responses from other parties concerned, the spokesman said.
As the host country of the talks, Liu said, China has played an
important role and made unremitting efforts to resolve the nuclear
issue.
Liu also said that China has not changed its policy on
developing good-neighborly relations with North Korea, though the
latter's nuclear test has had a negative impact on the ties.
"In dealing with the bilateral ties, we stick to two principles:
first, the development of the ties should serve the common
interests of both sides; second, it should be conducive to the
peace, stability and development of Korean Peninsula and Northeast
Asia," Liu said.
He said North Korea ignored opposition of the international
community and flagrantly conducted the nuclear test, and the
Chinese government is resolutely opposed to it.
But Liu said China will continue to develop good-neighborly and
friendly cooperation with North Korea and this policy is
unshakable.
According to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency
(KCNA), North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test on
October 9.
The nuclear test, the first conducted by North Korea, came about
a week after the country announced it would undertake an
unprecedented atomic test under the condition where safety is
firmly guaranteed.
The nuclear test has strained the situation of Korean Peninsula,
said Liu, and he called for calm response from all parties
concerned.
He urged North Korea to observe its commitment to
non-nuclearization on Korean Peninsula and stop taking any action
that may worsen the current situation.
China and North Korea have kept contact and consultations on
non-nuclearization of the Peninsula in recent years. China will
continue to have contact and consultations with all parties
concerned so as to bring them back to talks, said Liu.
China is resolutely opposed to solving the Korean Peninsular
nuclear issue by means of war, said Liu, adding that the
humanitarian needs of North Korean people should be taken into full
consideration when any action is taken.
"We sincerely hope that North Korea can enjoy peace, stability,
development and prosperity," Liu said.
He also confirmed that China has kept a close eye on the
aftermath of the nuclear test, but so far no air pollution from it
has been detected.
At the press conference, Liu also announced that Andrei Stratan,
deputy prime minister and minister of Foreign Affairs and European
Integration of Moldova, will pay an official visit to China from
October 11 to 14 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.
And the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit ran its
official website to ensure the event held in Beijing in November
fully covered, Liu said.
Operated in Chinese, English and French, the website (www.focacsummit.org) will
cover major events, speeches and documents from the upcoming FOCAC
summit.
Both Chinese and African leaders will review the achievements of
China-Africa friendly cooperation over the past 50 years, and
blueprint bilateral future cooperation and exchange views on major
international issues, according to the Foreign Ministry.
All the member states vowed to send delegation to the summit and
more than 30 African heads of state or government expressed
willingness to attend the FOCAC summit scheduled from November 3 to
5, Liu said.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of
diplomatic relationship between the People's Republic of China and
African countries.
(Xinhua News Agency October 11, 2006)