The main task of the fifth-round six-party Korean Peninsula nuclear talks, which began in Beijing Wednesday morning, is "to outline details, ways and procedures for the implementation of the joint statement adopted in September," said the Chinese chief negotiator.
The task should be fulfilled in line with the principle of "commitment to commitment and action to action," said Wu Dawei, also Chinese vice foreign minister, at the opening session of the talks.
In the joint statement, adopted at the fourth round of the six-party talks which ended in September, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed to abandon all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in exchange for energy aid and security guarantees.
"I hope the parties concerned could continue to participate in consultations in an earnest, responsible, flexible and pragmatic attitude so as to seek solutions acceptable to all parties as early as possible," said Wu.
Wu said the publication of the joint statement demonstrated the political will and commitment of all parties, and signaled the talks entered a new stage.
China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan have been involved in four rounds of the talks.
Wu suggested the fifth round be carried out in phases: the delegation heads of the six nations first table a general scenario and a working group or expert panel works out detailed rules and submit them to the delegation heads for consultations.
At the plenary meeting after the opening ceremony, all delegation heads expressed their stances and opinions on how to implement the joint statement, according to sources with the Chinese delegation.
They agreed that with the talks entering a substantial phase of "action to action," all the parties concerned face a more complicated and more arduous task and thus should take a serious attitude to earnestly fulfill the commitments they made in the joint statement.
They should also shoulder their respective responsibilities, take each other's rational concerns into consideration, properly handle disputes through consultations and work out ways, methods and steps to implement the joint statement, so as to push forward the process of the six-party talks.
All the six parties agreed they should make unremitting efforts to reach the goal of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and maintain peace and stability in the peninsula and northeast Asia for common development.