Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said in Beijing Tuesday that the peaceful process to solve the Korean nuclear issue has entered on a "substantial stage" as the concerned parties reached important common ground after the previous two rounds of six-party talks and working group meetings. 

Zhang made the remark at a regular press conference in reply to reporters' questions on the third round of six-party talks set to begin Wednesday.

She said the six parties have exchanged in-depth views on building a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula and freezing nuclear facilities as well as corresponding measures, and all parties held that the working group's discussions are "useful and constructive."

The peaceful negotiation for solving the issue has become "institutional", Zhang said, adding the relevant parties also established their objectives and action guidelines regarding the issue.

Zhang said China hopes the concerned parties could show their utmost sincerity and flexibility to promote the process of solving the issue on a basis of mutual respect and equal consultation.

Zhang also reiterated China's position on the issue, to maintain the peace and stability and achieve nuclear-weapon-free status on the peninsula, and to promote the solution process by dialogue.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who also heads Chinese delegation to the six-party talks, has held bilateral consultations with delegations of Russia, the Republic of Korea and Democratic People's Republic of Korea respectively Tuesday, Zhang said.

The Korean nuclear issue was a very complicated issue and the relevant parties still have differences on the issue despite the common ground they have reached, Zhang noted, calling for the parties to make sufficient preparation for difficulties and problems they might have to face.

However, the spokeswoman also expressed her confidence in the third round of six-party talks. She said the relevant parties have demonstrated a strong desire to solve the issue by negotiations in their in-depth discussions in the previous talks and China hopes the spirit could be carried on in the future meetings.

(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2004)