The Head of the Chinese delegation and Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office in Vienna, Tang Guoqiang, stressed on Wednesday on behalf of the Chinese government that the nuclear issues of Korea and Iran should be solved in a peaceful way through diplomatic talks.

In a speech at the board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday, Tang pointed out with regard to the Korean nuclear issue that the Chinese government "firmly opposes" another nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and requires the DPRK to "stick to the denuclearization commitments, stop relevant actions that may further deteriorate the situation, and return to the six-party talks."

However, Tang also pointed out that "the sovereignty, territorial integrity, reasonable security concerns and development benefits of the DPRK, a sovereign state, and a member state of the U.N., should receive due respect. The DPRK should have the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy after it returns to the treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)."

He also stressed that political and diplomatic means is the"only right way" to solve the relevant issues on the Korean Peninsular including the nuclear issue.

Therefore, he called on relevant parties to "focus on long-term benefits and maintain calm and restraint so as to avoid any action that could lead to further tension." A peaceful solution to the Korean nuclear issue "accords with the common benefit of all the parties," Tang said.

He pointed out when discussing the Iranian nuclear issue that there is currently new opportunity to promote a solution through negotiations, so relevant parties should "seize the opportunity and step up diplomatic efforts, so as to resume talks as soon as possible and seek a comprehensive and long-term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue."

Iran, as a party to the NPT, enjoys the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, but should also fulfill corresponding international obligations he said.

China is concerned that Iran has not suspended uranium enrichment as requested by the U.N. Security Council and hopes Iran will take measures to "comprehensively fulfill the relevant resolutions of the IAEA and the Security Council," Tang said.

He also stressed that China adheres to "the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and the Korean and Iranian nuclear issues must be solved through negotiations.

China will "work with all the parties" and make further efforts to solve relevant issues by diplomatic means "based on the overall situation of maintaining the nuclear non-proliferation system as well as regional peace and stability," Tang said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2009)