All the six parties to the fourth round of the Korean nuclear issue talks agreed to take a recess and resume the talks in the week that begins on Aug. 29, said Wu Dawei, the Chinese delegation head in a chairman statement read at a press conference on Sunday morning.

 

"The specific date of when the talks would resume is yet to be set," Wu added.

 

During the break, all the parties will keep contact and continue consultations, according to Wu.

 

Wu said at the press conference following a chief delegates' meeting that the general goal of the six-nation talks is to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.

 

"This is the consensus reached by the six delegations," said Wu, also Chinese vice foreign minister.

 

Since the fourth round of the talks began 13 days ago, the six parties have been working on a roadmap for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

 

"If we are climbing a mountain, we've already seen the peak of it. Now we decide to take a recess so that we can reach the peak more smoothly," Wu said, adding "This is a positive outcome of the first phase of the current round of talks."

 

He also expressed the belief the six parties would one day reach an agreement on the common document for the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

 

Wu told the press conference he could not say for sure when the six parties would reach the agreement.

 

"I can neither ensure the six parties will reach the agreement after the fourth round of talks resumes" late this month.

 

"But I believe that one day they will reach the agreement."

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2005)