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Second round of six-party talks to open on Feb. 25: FM spokeswoman

PLA Daily 2004-02-04

BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- The second round of the six-party talks on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula will begin in Beijing on Feb. 25, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said here Tuesday.

Zhang said at a regular press conference that she was entrusted to make the announcement and the date was fixed on the basis of consultations between all concerned parties.

The Chinese side is currently in discussions with other parties on the details of how to ensure a smooth progress of the talks, said Zhang.

Zhang said that the Chinese side has kept contacts and close consultations with concerned parties for a period of time and gradually expanded their consensus in order to continue the peaceful talks process and keep the momentum of solving the issue peacefully through dialogues.

All concerned parties agreed that conditions for the opening of the second round of the six-party talks have been in place, said Zhang.

She expressed her belief that all concerned parties will, in the spirit of mutual respect and equal consultation, push for substantial progress in the second round of the six-party talks by showing sincerity and flexibility to the utmost for cooperation.

The fixing of the date was a crucial step toward peacefully resolving the Korean nuclear issue through dialogue, said Zhang, adding that all parties concerned would contribute to resolving the issue as long as they showed sincerity and mutual respect, and conducted consultation on an equal footing.

China aimed to have a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and maintain peace and stability on the peninsula, said Zhang. China hopes practical results would be achieved during the second round of the six-party talks, she said.

Zhang said the parties concerned expected to fix the consensus reached so far in written form, and the consultations in this regard had made much progress.

Zhang said the level of the second six-party talks would be the same as the first round talks, which were held in Beijing from Aug. 27 to 29, 2003.