The third round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue started in Beijing Wednesday afternoon.  

Delegations of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan and Russia attended the talks and their delegation heads addressed at the opening ceremony.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also chairman of this round of six-party talks and Chinese delegation head, said the concerned parties have jointly fixed the goal of building a nuclear weapon-free Korean Peninsula, set up channels of resolving the nuclear issue, paved the way out through peaceful talks, avoided further worsening of the nuclear issue and eased the tensed situation in the Korean Peninsula.

Wang said all parties should safeguard and treasure these important results, which were not easy to be achieved.

The way leading to peace was never smooth, but the struggle for peace was the historic responsibility for all concerned parties, Wang said, noting that it was not an easy process to resolve the nuclear issue, but upholding the process of peaceful talks was the only right choice.

Wang said China, as the host nation, will continue to promote the peaceful process of the nuclear issue and to make joint efforts with the concerned parties for safeguarding peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.

Kim Kye-gwan, DPRK delegation head and DPRK deputy foreign minister, said the common goal for all concerned parties is to build a nuclear weapon-free Korean Peninsula, and the DPRK delegation will propose the "freeze for compensation" program in this round of talks, so as to break the deadlock in the nuclear issue.

James Kelly, delegation head of the United States and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the United States, said the comprehensive settlement of the nuclear issue will help promote new relations between the DPRK and the United States and the international community.

Kelly expressed his hope that all concerned parties should respect each other's rights and abide by relevant international duty. The United States is willing to make utmost efforts for promoting the peaceful talks, he added.

Delegation heads from the ROK, Japan and Russia said at their addresses that the six-party talks have revealed positive momentum, and all concerned parties should promote the talks to make progress on the basis of mutual trust and equal dialogue.

After the opening ceremony, the delegations from the DPRK, the United States and the ROK introduced their opinions and projects at the plenary meeting. All concerned parties condemned the killing of an ROK hostage in Iraq and the terrorist attack in Russia in their speeches.

Wang Yi held a reception on Wednesday evening to welcome all delegations to the six-party talks.

Before the opening of the talks, Wang Yi had separate bilateral consultations Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning with the delegation heads from the other five countries.

During the bilateral consultations, they exchanged views on securing smooth talks, consolidating the achievements already made, broadening common grounds, and working for reaching a principled consensus on substantial issues. All the five parties said they would show flexibility and try to make progress in the six-party talks.

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2004)