Chairman of the Second Round of Six-Party Talks in Beijing, Head of the Chinese Delegation and Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Beijing on February 28, 2004 that the meeting has demonstrated three features and achieved five advancements, and China would remain committed to promoting the process of a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue with a fair and just stance.

Wang Yi held a press conference for domestic and international media in Diaoyutai Hotel after the conclusion of the second round of six-party talks.

Three Features and Five Advancements

Wang Yi said that this meeting had been in-depth, pragmatic and conducive. The main features are as follows: 1) It launched discussions on substantive issues, signaling the process of the talks was going forward. 2) The parties retained a sober and constructive attitude, symbolizing that the meeting was going mature. 3) The forms of the meeting were more open and flexible, indicating the growing confidence of the parties in the meeting.

Wang Yi summed up the major advancements of the second round of six-party talks as follows: 1) It successfully boosted the discussion on substantive issues. 2) It reaffirmed taking coordinated steps to solve issues. 3) It issued the first statement since the launch of the peace-talk process. 4) It defined the timing and place for the third round of talks. 5) It agreed to set up a working group to mechanize the talks.

He said, these five advancements have laid foundations for future talks and paved the way for resolving the nuclear issue peacefully. He also point out that due to the complicatedness of the nuclear issue, the parties had different or even contradictory positions. However, it was important to note that differences were narrowing, consensus was expanding and the hopes for peace were increasing.

Three Issues on the Agenda

Wang Yi introduced the major subjects of this meeting. The first subject was the objective of resolving the nuclear issue. The DPRK reaffirmed its willingness to give up nuclear programs, indicating that it would dismantle its nuclear weapon development programs so long as the US abandoned its hostile policies toward the country. The US further explained its policies toward the DPRK, reiterating that it had no hostility to the nation and no intention of invading the country or attempting a regime change in the DPRK and saying that it hoped to normalize relations with the DPRK after its concerns were addressed. The parties agreed to settle the issue of security guarantee in written forms acceptable to all parties. The parties also discussed the concept of CVID (complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling) proposed by the US for the objective of nuclear dismantlement but no consensus has been achieved on the definition and range of nuclear dismantlement.

The second was the first-phase steps for the settlement of the nuclear issue. The DPRK offered to freeze its nuclear activities as the first step of dismantlement, saying that it also expected other countries to take corresponding actions. China, the ROK and Russia pledged to provide energy assistance to the DPRK on certain conditions. The US and Japan acknowledged and understood the DPRK's needs for energy. Japan said it would provide large-scale economic assistance to the DPRK after bilateral relations were normalized. Issues on the range of nuclear freezing and inspections are subjects for further discussions.

The third is the continuation of the peace-talk process. The parties agreed to keep on the peace-talk process, to hold the third round of six-party talks no later than the end of June and to set up a working group.

Chairman's Statement Is the Consensus of the Six-Party Talks and A Working Group will be Set up as Early as Possible

Wang Yi stressed that the six parties had conducted discussions in an in-depth manner on the written document during this round of talks and finally issued it to the public in the form of Chairman's Statement. The statement collected the consensus of the parties and was recognized by the parties. It has sent positive and important messages to the world.

Wang Yi said it was one of the achievements of this meeting that the parties agreed to set up a working group. As for how the working group will be established and operated, China will consult with the other five parties through diplomatic channels in a bid to set it up as early as possible. Setting up the working group is for the next round of talks and will not take too long.

Confidence over Future Prospects

Wang Yi said that the bifurcations between the DPRK and the US did exist, with some of them being sharp and even contradictory. The lack of trust was the major reason underlying the bifurcations. With historical factors, Cold-War background and conflicts of realistic interests all mixed up, the nuclear issue was an extremely complicated formula.

He emphasized that despite all the difficulties, if the parties demonstrate firm political will, give full play to their diplomatic wisdom and make sustained efforts, solutions will surely be identified to fix the crux and realize a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula ultimately.