BEIJING, Oct 10, (AFP)- The leaders of China, Japan and South Korea on Saturday called for the quick resumption of talks on ending North Korea's nuclear drive, with Beijing saying the door was open to make real progress.
The leaders, who pledged to deepen regional cooperation, said they would work together to ensure the success of global climate talks in Copenhagen later this year and promote the development of clean energy technologies.
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| China's Premier Wen Jiabao speaks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing October 10 |
The summit between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, new Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak was only the second to bring the regional leaders together, after one in Japan last year.
“We will remain committed to dialogue and consultation and continue to work through peaceful means to pursue the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,”the leaders said in a joint 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, and thereby to build an Asia of peace, harmony, openness and prosperity.”North Korea said Monday during a visit to Pyongyang by Wen -- the first by a Chinese premier in 18 years -- that it was willing to return to six-party talks but only if it first was granted direct negotiations with the United States.
Washington has said it would agree to bilateral talks within the framework of the six-party disarmament forum, but that the goal must be a complete end to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons drive.
The six-way negotiations are hosted by China, a close ally of North Korea, and also include South Korea, the United States, Russia and Japan.
“We are faced with an opportunity, but this opportunity may slip by. The key is what we do. We need to seize the opportunity and make the most of it,”Wen told a joint press conference. |
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