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At UN, China urges two Koreas to overcome differences through dialogue

At UN, China urges two Koreas to overcome differences through dialogue

Declaring China’s commitment to peace on the Korean peninsula, the country’s Foreign Minister, addressing the United Nations General Assembly today, urged the two countries there to resolve their differences through negotiations.

Declaring China’s commitment to peace on the Korean peninsula, the country’s Foreign Minister, addressing the United Nations General Assembly today, urged the two countries there to resolve their differences through negotiations.

“Long-standing antagonism and mistrust between the parties concerned is the main cause for the current difficulty,” Li Zhaoxing said. “All parties should be patient and pragmatic and act with vision to reduce differences and remove obstacles through dialogue.”

China “is committed to maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, making it free of nuclear weapons and promoting the Six-Party Talks,” he said, referring to diplomacy involving China, the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia.

He voiced hope that the parties “will be cool-headed and more flexible, expand common ground, meet each other halfway and work together for the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks, adding “this is the only viable solution to the Korean nuclear issue.”

He also urged dialogue on the question of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “Diplomatic negotiation represents the best chance for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue and serves the interests of all parties,” he said, voicing hope that “the parties involved will exercise patience and restraint, continue to be flexible in approach, and stay committed to the correct course of pursuing peaceful resolution.”

China “calls for upholding the integrity of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and is opposed to the proliferation of nuclear weapons” while stressing that “the lawful right of countries to the peaceful use of nuclear energy should be fully respected provided they fulfil their due international obligations.”