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Nuke talks to resume in week of Sep. 12
(Xinhua/Reuters)
Updated: 2005-08-31 06:59
The fourth round of six-party talks on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will be resumed in the week of Sept. 12, a Chinese Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.
"Through efforts by parties concerned, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has agreed to return to the six-party talks," said He Yafei, director of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry.
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The representatives from the six countries involved in six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program hold hands as the meeting officially begins in Beijing July 26, 2005. [Reuters]
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He made the remarks when briefing a press conference on President Hu's upcoming state visits to the United States, Canada, Mexico from Sept. 5 to 17.
"During Chinese President Hu's visit to the United States, the two leaders will touch upon this nuclear issue," said He.
However, he gave no specific time for the resumption of the talks, saying China is working with other parties on the timetable.
The talks, which went into recess on August 7 after two weeks of inconclusive discussions, had been due to resume this week.
But a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday Pyongyang thought it would be best to wait until after joint U.S.-South Korean military drills were over to resume the talks.
He said his government favored a resumption of negotiations in the week of September 12. The Chinese hosts have now confirmed that timetable.
Pyongyang said on Saturday Washington's decision to appoint a special envoy to monitor human rights in North Korea had also cast a shadow over the six-party process, which brings together the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan.
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