The second round of six-party talks will include "substantial" discussion over the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said a visiting Chinese diplomat on Saturday.

 

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, Vice Foreign Minister Choi Young-jin, Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck as well as National Security Advisor Kwon Chin-ho on Saturday to discuss the six-nation nuclear talks, according to a press release of the Chinese delegation Sunday.

 

Wang said the second round of multilateral nuclear talks will kick-start discussions with "substantial content."

 

This "is an important symbol that the process of the talks will go deeply," said the press release.

 

"China hopes the concerned parties will display flexibility in the coming new round of nuclear talks, narrow their differences and increase consensus, and try to set concrete goals and a direction to solve the DPRK nuclear issue, and then take a tangible step," the release said.

 

ROK officials have highly praised China's efforts for peaceful talks over the DPRK nuclear issue.

 

At the same time, the ROK is willing to cooperate with China to produce "visible" results in the multilateral talks to be held from February 25 in Beijing, according to the release.

 

The two countries called on all parties involved to take more active, realistic and constructive attitudes to prepare for the second round talks.

 

The two countries also hoped that parties involved will create an amicable atmosphere for the nuclear talks instead of taking any actions to excite the others, said the release.

 

The Chinese vice foreign minister arrived in the ROK on Friday evening from Tokyo and returned to Beijing Sunday.

 

(China Daily February 16, 2004)