South Korean chief negotiator Chun Yung-woo said this morning bilateral talks that pair up negotiators from the six countries should be the major way to resolve their differences.

 

He confirmed that several rounds of bilateral negotiations would be held today.

 

"It's an important day, and South Korea aims at making substantial progress through consultations with the other sides," he said.

 

The second stage of the fifth-round six-party talks resumed in Beijing yesterday morning, gathering negotiators from China, the US, Japan, Russia, North and South Korea.

 

All six parties have stressed that to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue requires "action-for-action" in their negotiations.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2006)