• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Russian, US, Japanese delegations arrive for six-party talks

PLA Daily 2004-02-24

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian, US and Japanese delegations successively arrived in Beijing Monday to attend the forthcoming six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue.

The Russian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losiukov, was the first to reach Beijing for the second round of six-party talks, scheduled to open Wednesday.

After trilateral consultations among the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in Seoul, the US delegation led by James Kelly, US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and the Japanese delegation led by Mitoji Yabunaka, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, came to Beijing aboard the same flight.

Delegations from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the ROK are expected to arrive Tuesday morning.

After consultations between Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, head of the Chinese delegation, and Losiukov, a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, "the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the smooth proceeding of the six-party talks and reached wide consensus."

The two sides agreed that efforts should be concentrated on the setup of objectives and framework for resolving the issue, the release said, adding that such efforts are important for pushing the talks forward in a smooth way.

Sources said that both China and Russia will hold consultations with the other four parties.

Upon his arrival at the Beijing airport Monday morning, Losiukov expressed his "cautious optimism" on the six-party talks on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula.

The Russian diplomat said his country supports the proposal of the DPRK to freeze its nuclear program and steps for its implementation required further consultation in the upcoming six-party talks.

Neither Kelly nor Yabunaka made any comments on the talks at the airport.

Global media showed enthusiasm about the talks, which will again take place at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.