Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo held a banquet on Tuesday
evening for the envoys attending the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear
issue, saying the negotiations are "deepening" despite the many
differences in opinion.
Dai urged the parties concerned to be sincere and make pragmatic
steps towards denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and normalizing
of bilateral relations.
But Dai underlined the complexity of the nuclear issue, saying
"it is natural that some fluctuations and difficulties come up" in
the nuclear disarmament talks.
The six-party talks entered their second day of negotiations
Tuesday, which resumed in Beijing on Monday after a 13-month
hiatus, but with analysts predicting tough negotiations.
The current round of talks will emphasize on specific measures
to fully implement the joint statement made in September 2005,
under which North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear program in
exchange for economic aid and security guarantees.
Formally known as the second phase of the fifth round since
2003, the talks involving China, North and South Korea, the US,
Japan and Russia, are set to be open-ended.
These are the first talks since North Korea conducted an
underground nuclear test on October 9, triggering fury from the
international community and further complicating the Korean nuclear
issue.
"The talks are aimed to expand consensus, increase
understanding, narrow differences and remove estrangement through
dialogue and consultations," said Dai.
In the past two days, all parties have held in-depth exchanges
of views on implementing the joint statement in the form of plenary
meetings, chief negotiators' meetings and one-on-one contacts,
helping mutual understanding, said Dai.
It is of great significance for the parties to reaffirm the
pledges made in the joint statement, discuss methods for
implementing the statement and move the peace process forward, Dai
added.
(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2006)