Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo said in Beijing Saturday the draft common document China presented is the "most realistic" scenario for the parties to reach an accord.

 

Dai hosted a dinner in honor of chief delegates to the six-party talks at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse Saturday evening to mark the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important traditional festivals in China, South and North Korea.

 

Addressing the dinner, Dai said that, on the basis of hearing and taking fully into account the six parties' opinions and making ensuing prudent studies, China, as the host nation, had proposed a draft common document with regard to concerns and interests of all the parties.

 

"It is the most realistic scenario for the relevant parties to reach an accord, an excelled piece of work all the parties created," Dai said, adding it is also a "balanced" and "win-win" proposal.

 

He said for these days, the six parties had conducted "serious, pragmatic and in-depth" discussions, and made positive efforts to promote consensus on a common document of principles. They have made "new progress," he added.

 

Dai said the six-party talks is a great historic undertaking and, after four rounds of negotiations, has come up with some positive outcome. The facts prove that the talks is not only the "sole effective way" to solve the nuclear issue peacefully through dialogue, but also a platform to help all parties enhance trust, reduce suspicion, expand consensus, promote cooperation and maintain common interests.

 

Dai acknowledged that there are still difficulties on the way of pressing ahead with negotiation process. "However, in order to keep peace and stability in Korean peninsula and the region, and to achieve the goal of denuclearization of the peninsula, we cannot but keep marching forward instead of backward, and there will be no way out with retreat," Dai said.

 

He called for putting an end to the Cold War confrontation on the Korean Peninsula, taking the six-party talks as an opportunity. "Parties concerned have paid enormous prices for the cold war state in the Korean peninsula, which has lasted for about half a century. It's time to end that state," said Dai,

 

Some 20 guests attended the dinner, including chief negotiators and diplomats from the relevant countries.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2005)