South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun Wednesday said that South Korea should act as a mediator during the recess of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

 

At a luncheon meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon, South Korea's chief negotiator to the six-party talks, Roh asked the South Korean delegation to "actively play a role in resolving key differences during the recess," according to Roh's spokesperson Kim Man-soo.

 

"Nonetheless, the six-party talks made progress in that the participating countries agreed to pursue the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the spokesperson said in a briefing on the outcome of the luncheon meeting at the presidential office.

 

The six-party talks were also fruitful in that the delegations from Pyongyang and Washington held frequent one-on-one meetings under the six-way format to produce substantial progress, he said.

 

Roh expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the South Korean delegation, saying a great result "was achieved despite the fact the talks failed to produce a joint statement due mainly to difference on the peaceful use of nuclear energy."

 

China, the US, Russia, Japan, North and South Korea resumed the fourth round of six-party nuclear talks in Beijing on July 26.

 

Last Sunday, the six nations decided to enter recess for some three weeks before reopening the fourth round of talks in the week beginning August 29.

 

The two main parties -- the US and North Korea -- have differences over whether the North can reserve right over nuclear peaceful utilization.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2005)