All participants, but those from Pyongyang, to the six-party talks are here in Beijing, attending the meeting addressing the Korean nuclear issue, which is scheduled from Wednesday to Friday.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) delegation is expected to arrive in Beijing Tuesday.

Leading his delegation to the talks, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losiukov said Monday at the Beijing airport that he is "discreetly optimistic" about the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue.

He said, "We will strive to propel the talks to go on."

After arriving in Beijing, both Lee Soo-Hyuck, deputy minister of foreign affairs and trade leading the Republic of Korea (ROK) delegation, and Mitoji Yabunaka, director-general for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Foreign Ministry heading the Japanese delegation, did not make any comments on the multilateral talks.

Upon his arrival in Beijing, head of the US delegation James Kelly, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said, "I am looking forward to direct and fair exchanges of views."

He said, "I am very happy to be back to Beijing ... and we have worked for a long time with Chinese friends to have multilateral talks."

It is reported that ROK, Japan and the US all urged the DPRK to give up its nuclear program. However, ROK insisted that peaceful talks are urgently needed.

Russia said previously that the solution to the Korean nuclear issue would provide a nuclear-free status for the Korean Peninsula, ensure the security of relevant nations and peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

China has mediated and activated the six-party talks. China holds that the Korean peninsula should be nuclear-free and reasonable security concerns of the DPRK should be addressed. While standing firmly in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, China is actively propelling parties concerned to solve the nuclear issue through peaceful dialogue.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 26, 2003)