"We hope the talks will help the parties to understand each other's positions more clearly and ease the current tension,'' said Liu at the regular briefing.

Liu said the Chinese delegation will be headed by Fu Ying, director of the Department of Asian Affairs under the Foreign Ministry.

James Kelly, assistant secretary of state for Asia and Pacific affairs, reportedly arrived in Beijing Tuesday for the nuclear talks in Beijing which are scheduled to start Wednesday. The DPRK delegation is believed to be headed by Li Gun, deputy director of US affairs at the DPRK Foreign Ministry.

The meeting will be the first of its kind after tension escalated last autumn on the Korean Peninsula over the DPRK's nuclear program.

The situation appeared to improve after the DPRK agreed more than a week ago not to stick to any particular dialogue format for settlement of the nuclear issue if the United States drops its anti-DPRK policy.

Liu said China is very concerned about the issue and made great efforts to promote peace and encourage talks between the two countries.

China has all along insisted the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula be resolved peacefully through dialogue.

At last Thursday's briefing, Liu called for the "political will'' and "sincerity'' in enabling dialogues to take place to break the stalemate over the nuclear tension on the Korean Peninsula.

Liu Tuesday reiterated that China supports peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula as well as its non-nuclearization, adding the security concerns of the DPRK should also be acted upon.

"All parties should create conditions for the peaceful resolution of the (DPRK nuclear) issue, and refrain from taking action that would complicate the situation,'' said Liu.

Chinese FM to Visit Kazakhstan

At the invitation of Kasymzhomart Tokayev, state secretary and minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan and attend the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Almaty from April 26 to 30, Liu announced at the press conference.

French Prime Minister to Visit China

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin will pay an official visit to China from April 25 to 26, Liu said at the press conference.

(Sources from China Daily and Xinhua News Agency, April 23, 2003)