BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- China said on Thursday the informal meeting of
foreign ministers of the six parties on the Korean nuclear issue was of great
importance and hoped it to promote the denuclearization process.
"It is first time for foreign ministers of the six-party talks to sit
together and discuss the talks process, denuclearization on the Korean
Peninsula, as well as the peace and stability in northeast Asia. The meeting is
of historic meaning," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao at a regular
press conference on Thursday afternoon.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Pak UiChun, U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister of the Republic of Korea
(ROK) Yu Myung-hwan, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov and
Japanese Foreign Minister Komura Masahiko met in Singapore on Wednesday on the
sideline of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)Ministerial
Meeting. The foreign ministers reached some new consensus on promoting the talks
process.
All relevant sides agreed to promote the goal of the six-party talks in a
comprehensive, balanced and verifiable way. They pledged to implement their
respective commitment so as to push forward the six-party talks process, Liu
said.
He said all sides hoped to hold another foreign ministers meeting in
Beijing when all factors were prepared, but the schedule still needed discussion
through diplomatic channels.
Liu added China, as chair of the six-party talks, would consult with other
sides on the issue and contribute to promoting the talks process.