Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – “"North Korea will continue to maintain its goal of denuclearization and make efforts for the protection of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” Korean leader Kim Jong-il was quoted as saying by Xinhua News in his meeting with Beijing’s special envoy, Dai Bingguo, who delivered a personal message from Chinese President Hu Jintao. “I hope to resolve this issue through bilateral or multilateral dialogue,” Kim was also quoted as saying.
The door to renewed six-nation talks (China, North and South Korea, United States, Japan and Russia) thus appears to be on the verge of reopening.
More recently, Pyongyang had called for “direct” talks with Washington, closing the door to multilateral negotiations. Now Beijing’s mediation appears to have jumpstarted multi-party discussions on North Korea’s nuclear programme.
President Hu Jintao’s adviser Dai Bingguo arrived on Wednesday in North Korea on a diplomatic mission, which Beijing has been pushing hard in order to revive negotiations.
In the letter, Hu said, "It is China's consistent goal to realize denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and to safeguard and promote peace, stability and development of Northeast Asia,” Xinhua reported, adding that “China is ready to spare no effort to work with the DPRK (North Korea) to realize such a goal.”
