According to Liu, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States and China sent delegations to the talks to seek a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Vice-Minister Wang Yi met and talked cordially with heads of the delegations. The Beijing talks signify a good beginning, Li noted, and have received attention and welcome from the international community.

He expressed the hope that the parties will continue to exert their efforts for a peaceful settlement of the issue.

Both the DPRK and the US sides voiced their endorsement with Li, saying that during the talks, the parties have enunciated their stances, fully exchanged their views and thus enhanced mutual understanding.

The heads of the delegations clasped their hands together, signaling the conclusion of the talks.

The parties agreed that they would continue to maintain contact on procedures of further talks through diplomatic channels.

Prior to the end of the talks, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing had separate meetings with head of the US delegation, Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, and head of the DPRK delegation, Ri Gun, deputy director of American affairs for DPRK's Foreign Ministry.

Acknowledging that the nuclear issue was very complex and sensitive, he cited human effort as a decisive factor. The top priority task at present was to insist on resolving the issue through peaceful talks by proceeding from the overall situation of maintaining peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and realizing non-nuclearization of the peninsula.

This was the sole choice that was beneficial to all parties concerned, Li added.

It was not strange to have differences in discussion of major issues, Li said. The crux of the matte was to pay attention to substantial content of the discussion rather than being confined to the form.

He urged the two parties to heed both the wordings and statements, and more importantly, to attach importance to the deeds of each other.

The ultimate goal was to serve the long-term interests of the people of the relevant countries, he said.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao, both the DPRK and the US sides gave a high appraisal of China for its proposal for holding the Beijing talks and expressed their thanks to the country for its considerate arrangements for the talks.

(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2003)