In-depth discussions are needed to resolve the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula, Liu Jianchao, deputy director-general of the Information Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said in Beijing Wednesday.  

In response to a question on what is the crucial problem of the Korean nuclear issue at a news briefing, Liu said the issue of keeping the Korean Peninsula nuclear weapon-free and the security concern of the countries concerned are interrelated, which should be taken into consideration and settled appropriately during the talks.

Acknowledging that these issues are very complicated, Liu said all parties should have in-depth discussions on how to tackle these issues and on what measures to be taken.

When asked to comment on the first-phase measures, Liu noted that one topic of the talks facing all the parties present is to set forth the goal of building a nuclear weapon-free Korean Peninsula and also to discuss when to take the first step in this regard.

All the relevant issues will continue to be dealt with in the next few days, Liu said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2004)