China hopes the parties concerned will treasure the hard-earned consensus reached on the fresh round of six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue and show more flexibility so as to initiate the talks at an early date and make progress.  

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a briefing Beijing Thursday that China has been in close contact with the other parties involved in the talks, namely, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, and transferred their stances and proposals to each other in proper ways.

China will continue consulting with the relevant parties and find consensus to create conditions for the second round of six-party talks, said the spokesman. The parties concerned are still making consultations on the talks and the specific date for the talks hinges on the preparation of the talks.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2003)