China calls for U.S. to lower bar for nuclear talks with N. Korea
2014/07/24 17:37
BEIJING, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui has told a group of South Korean lawmakers that the United States must lower the bar for resuming long-stalled multilateral talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program, a South Korean delegate who attended the meeting said Thursday.
The rare comments by Zhang were in line with China's policy toward North Korea, but highlighted a fundamental gap that remains between Washington and Beijing over how to restart the six-nation talks that have been dormant since late 2008.
Zhang made the comments on Wednesday during a meeting with a group of South Korean lawmakers, led by Rep. Lee Seok-hyun of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy. Lee serves as a vice speaker of the National Assembly.
"The United States is demanding North Korea show its willingness to give up its nuclear (weapons program), while maintaining a high threshold," Zhang was quoted as telling the lawmakers, according to the South Korean delegate.
Zhang also criticized the U.S. policy of trying to "achieve its target even before the talks resume," the delegate said on condition of anonymity.
The vice foreign minister reiterated China's stated goal of "resuming the six-party talks at an early date."
"Unless dialogue resumes, North Korea will have a chance to advance its nuclear capabilities. And we don't want this to happen," Zhang was quoted as saying.
Zhang also told the lawmakers that China is making efforts "through various channels" to prevent North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.
North Korea has warned that it will not rule out carrying out "a new form of nuclear test" since earlier this year. Since its third nuclear test in February last year, Pyongyang has repeatedly expressed its willingness to reopen the six-party talks "without preconditions."
South Korea and the U.S. have maintained that North Korea must first demonstrate its sincerity toward denuclearization before the disarmament-for-aid talks can resume.
The six-party forum, which involves the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan, has not been held since late 2008.
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