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Annan hails news that DPR of Korea, China agree to fresh round of 6-nation talks

Annan hails news that DPR of Korea, China agree to fresh round of 6-nation talks

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed news that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and China have agreed to hold a fresh round of six-nation talks.

A statement issued by a spokesman for the Secretary-General in New York said Mr. Annan praised the two countries for agreeing in principle to conduct a new round of multilateral talks as part of the so-called Beijing negotiating process.

The talks will be conducted between China, the DPRK, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States.

The statement said Mr. Annan "remains convinced that dialogue is the best way to resolve security and other issues affecting the Korean Peninsula, and calls on the parties concerned to search for creative approaches towards the issues they are facing."

The statement said Mr. Annan would continue to support the dialogue process with the aid of his Personal Envoy, Maurice F. Strong.