The foreign ministers of China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) yesterday agreed to make joint efforts to resume talks designed to end the nuclear stalemate on the Korean Peninsula.

They also agreed that the possible test launch of a missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should not affect peace and stability on the peninsula.

The consensus was reached after an hour of closed talks between Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his ROK counterpart Ban Ki-moon in Beijing.

The ministers agreed that "under the current situation, the relevant parties should stick to solving this issue through dialogue and peaceful means, and try to defuse the confrontational atmosphere," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a regular news briefing yesterday.

Ban arrived in Beijing on Monday night to discuss with Chinese officials how to dissuade Pyongyang from reported plans to test launch a long-range missile.

Recent intelligence reports have said the DPRK may be fuelling a Taepodong-2, one of its most advanced missiles, at a launch site on the country's northeastern coast. The United States has called on Pyongyang to declare its intentions.

The six-party nuclear negotiations remain deadlocked since the last round in November last year. Pyongyang is boycotting the talks, saying that the US must lift sanctions it imposed on companies suspected of laundering money and counterfeiting for the DPRK.

At yesterday's news conference, Jiang also said Japan should work with China to create an appropriate atmosphere for mutual "contacts and visits" between the two foreign ministers. Jiang made the remarks when addressing questions about whether there is an arrangement for Li and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso to meet on the sidelines of a regional ministerial conference in Malaysia later next month.

"It is of great significance that the two foreign ministers have contact and mutual visits," said Jiang. However she added that there are no such an arrangements so far.

(China Daily 06/28/2006 page2)