China Sunday appealed for renewed discussions over Pyongyang's nuclear program, following the unanimous adoption of a UN resolution on its neighbor's missile tests.

"We hope that all parties concerned take this as a turning point and make joint efforts to create conditions to resume the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement.

This is the common aspiration of the international community and the "correct direction" we should strive for, she said, adding that China opposes any move to aggravate tensions.

China joined other Security Council members on Saturday in approving the resolution, which demands that North Korea suspend its ballistic missile program and bans all UN members from trading with North Korea in missiles or missile-related technology.

But Beijing persuaded the council to drop a tougher Japanese and US-backed resolution, and tried last week to defuse the confrontation by sending diplomats to Pyongyang.

After days of wrangling over the wording of the resolution, the council members finally reached an agreement to remove any reference to Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which authorizes sanctions or even military action.

The resolution also strongly urges North Korea to return immediately to the Six-Party Talks, which have been stalled since November because of Pyongyang's protest against Washington's crackdown on its alleged money-laundering and other illicit financial activities.

China's UN Ambassador Wang Guangya stressed that China has adopted a responsible attitude and is firmly opposed to forcing through a vote on a draft resolution that is not conducive to unity and will further complicate and aggravate the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea's UN Ambassador Pak Gil-yon told the council that his country "totally rejects" the resolution. "It is clear to everyone that there is no need for North Korea to unilaterally put on hold the missile launches under such a situation," Pak said following the vote.

North Korea "remains unchanged in its will to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula in a negotiated peaceful manner just as it committed itself in the September 19 joint statement of the Six-Party Talks," he told the council.

The Russian envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin said the resolution "sends an appropriate signal to North Korea to display restraint and abide by its obligations regarding missiles." Churkin called on North Korea "to work in favor of continuing the negotiating process."

US Ambassador John Bolton said the United States looked forward to North Korea's full, unconditional and immediate compliance with the resolution.

(China Daily July 17, 2006)