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DPRK well-prepared for six-party talks

Xinhua, September 20, 2011

• The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is well-prepared to restart the six-party talks regarding the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a scholar said Monday after a closed-door seminar that featured a speech from the DPRK's chief nuclear envoy.

  Ri Yong-ho, who is also the DPRK's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, said at the seminar that the country will present a new set of solutions if the talks are resumed, according to Qu Xing, president of the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS).

  The seminar was held by the CIIC to mark the sixth anniversary of a milestone joint statement that was issued by China, the DPRK, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and the U.S. on Sept. 19, 2005 during the fourth round of the six-party talks.

  In the joint statement, the DPRK committed to abandoning its existing nuclear programs, as the U.S. confirmed that it had no nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or conventional weapons. The ROK reaffirmed that it would not receive or deploy nuclear weapons on the peninsula. The other parties stated their willingness to provide energy assistance to the DPRK.

  Ri said that the DPRK deactivated its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon and stopped the production of weapons-grade plutonium after 2005, Qu told reporters at a briefing held after the seminar.

  "Scholars from the United States, the ROK and Japan said at the meeting that they are satisfied with the preparations and attitude of the DPRK. They also said that they are optimistic about the resumption of the six-party talks," Qu said.

  Scholars from Singapore and Australia also participated in the seminar, as well as diplomats from the Beijing embassies of the U.S., the ROK and Japan.

  Qu said the scholars agreed that it is time for the resumption of the six-party talks. The scholars made several suggestions for the talks, he said.

  "They suggested that the DPRK should freeze any activity that has raised concerns by the West, while Western countries should act accordingly in terms of the DPRK's concerns," Qu said.

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