China sticks to peaceful settlement of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through six-party talks, Tang Guoqiang, Chinese ambassador to the United Nations' Vienna Office said on Wednesday, urging relevant parties to fulfill their commitments.

 

"China always stands for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula, the maintenance of peace and stability on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and the peaceful settlement of the Korean Nuclear Issue through dialogue and consultation," Tang said at a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

 

The 35-nation board of governors of the UN's nuclear watchdog started a regular session here on Monday. The Korean Peninsula nuclear issue was among the topics to be discussed today when the meeting entered its third day.

 

Tang said the six-party talks have become an important platform for all parties to enhance mutual understanding and trust and to carry out dialogue and consultation on the peninsular denuclearization, the normalization of relations among countries concerned and the building-up of a harmonious pattern in Northeast Asia.

 

Launched in 2003, the six party talks involve China, North and South Korea, the US, Japan and Russia.

 

Tang, who is formally the Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN and Other International Organizations in Vienna, said that the six-party talks have produced concrete results thanks to the joint efforts undertaken by all parties.

 

Following their joint statement on September 19, 2006, the six parties adopted a joint document on February 13 to take initial actions for the implementation.

 

According to the February 13 deal, North Korea shall shut down its nuclear facilities while the other parties shall provide emergency energy assistance to it and the shipment will commence within the next 60 days.

 

"This fully reflects the political will of all parties to achieve early denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through peaceful means, constitutes their sincerity and common understanding and marks an important progress in the peninsular denuclearization and six-party talks process," Tang said.

 

Tang noted that the main difficulty currently encountered in the six-party talks is the DPRK financial issue involving Macao-based Banco Delta Asia (BDA), but all parties concerned are having close consultations and have made hard efforts.

 

"What's encouraging is that in face of the difficult situation, all parties are steadfast in their will to comply with the joint statement and the North Korean side has expressed on many occasions that it will take steps to abandon its nuclear program and invite IAEA personnel to visit North Korea pending settlement of the financial issue." Tang said.

 

Meanwhile, Tang urged all parties concerned to fulfill their commitments under the February joint document and find proper solutions to the relevant issues with consideration for each other's concerns.

 

Tang said China has made restless efforts towards the peaceful solution of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and will continue to work with the relevant parties and the international community to move the talks forward. 

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 14, 2007)