The following is the full text of the Chairman's Statement for
the Second Round of Six-Party Talks on the Korean nuclear
issue.
1. The second round of six-party talks was held in Beijing among
the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and
the United States of America from 25th to 28th of February,
2004.
2. The heads of delegations were Mr. Wang Yi, vice minister,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC; Mr. Kim Kye-gwan, vice
minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of DPRK; Ambassador Mitoji
Yabunaka, director-general for the Asian and Oceanian Affairs,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; Ambassador Lee Soo-Hyuck,
deputy minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the ROK;
Ambassador Alexander Losiukov, vice minister, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Russia; Mr. James Kelly, assistant secretary of State
for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, United States Department of
State.
3. The Parties agreed that the second round of the six-party
talks had launched the discussion on substantive issues, which was
beneficial and positive, and that the attitudes of all parties were
serious in the discussion. Through the talks, while differences
remained, the Parties enhanced their understanding of each other's
positions.
4. The Parties expressed their commitment to a
nuclear--weapon-free Korean Peninsula, and to resolving the nuclear
issue peacefully through dialogue in a spirit of mutual respect and
consultations on an equal basis, so as to maintain peace and
stability on the Korean Peninsula and the region at large.
5. The Parties expressed their willingness to coexist
peacefully. They agreed to take coordinated steps to address the
nuclear issue and address the related concerns.
6. The Parties agreed to continue the process of the talks and
agreed in principle to hold the third round of the six-party talks
in Beijing no later than the end of the second quarter of 2004.
They agreed to set up a working group in preparation for the
plenary. The terms of reference of the working group will be
established through diplomatic channels.
7. The delegations of the DPRK, Japan, the ROK, Russia and the
USA have expressed their appreciation to the Chinese side for the
efforts aimed at the successful staging of the two rounds of the
six-party talks.
(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2004)