Seoul, October 10: Leaders of China, South Korea and Japan have called for a quick resumption of talks on the North Korean nuclear program, while committing to a denuclearized Korean peninsula.
Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama and South Korean President, Lee Myung-Bak held a summit on Saturday in Beijing that focused on Pyongyang’s nuclear program as well as regional economic integration.
“We will remain committed to dialogue and consultation and continue to work through peaceful means to pursue the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,” the leaders said in a statement after the morning meeting.
“We will make joint efforts with other parties for an early resumption of the six-party talks, so as to safeguard peace and stability in northeast Asia,” the statement said.
The six-party talks involve the two Koreas, China, the US, Russia and Japan.
Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, who recently visited North Korea, said the country appeared to be willing to return to the talks but only if it was first granted direct negotiations with the United States.
Wen said he supported the idea of direct US-North Korea negotiations.
This is while Washington has said it is open to direct bilateral talks with Pyongyang but only within the framework of the six-party forum. Washington has said also that the aim of the talks should be a complete denuclearization of North Korea.
—–Agencies