China: N. Korea Talks Not in Vain

Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, who returned Thursday from North Korea after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Il as Chinese President Hu Jintao’s Chinese special envoy, said on Friday that “Fortunately, my visit to Pyongyang was not made in vain.”

Tang made the remark on the day at the beginning of his talk with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Beijing. It was the first official comment by Chinese officials in regard to the recent trip to the North.

“State Councilor Tang and North Korean leader Kim discussed ways to resume six-party talks at the earliest possible time,” Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Friday. “Tang’s visit to Pyongyang has, at least, enhanced mutual understanding.”

Meanwhile, Rice urged North Korea to return to six-party talks without preconditions at a joint press conference after the meeting with Li.

“North Korea’s nuclear test was a serious provocation and poses a serious security threat,” Rice said. “The minister and I have talked about the importance of full implementation of resolution 1718, so that we can make certain there is not a transited trade in dangerous illegal materials concerning the nuclear weapons program of the DPRK (North Korea)."

Rice, however, did not elaborate on the details of the full implementation.

In the meantime, Li said, “China will, as it has always been, assume its responsibilities given as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. And China will always strictly enforce the U.N. resolutions imposed on North Korea.”

"We hope all relevant parties will maintain cool-headedness, adopt a responsible approach and adhere to peaceful dialogue as the main approach," Li said, hinting the differences in view between China and the U.S.

All the relevant countries, including North Korea, should resolve the nuclear problem with prudent actions while maintaining composure, Lee added.

If North Korea transfers nuclear weapons or nuclear technology to other countries, grave consequences will follow, Rice said Friday during an interview with press in Seoul before leaving to China.

In regard to the North’s second nuclear test, Rice did not rule out the possibility of military response. “The U.S. has all kinds of choices,” she said.

In the meanwhile, Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, who met Japanese counterpart Taro Aso Friday in Seoul, agreed on bilateral cooperation between the two countries in order to fully implement the U.N. resolution.

“When I met U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice two days ago, I mentioned that Japan would like to recognize the South Korean government’s sovereignty over the Mount Geumgang tourism and Gaesong Industrial Complex projects. And I’d like to address it once again today,” a foreign ministerial official quoted Aso as saying.

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