FM: Concerns of all parties should be considered in solving DPRK fund issue

Source: Xinhuanet | 04-11-2007 11:24

BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhua) -- A solution that can be accepted by all parties should be found for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) frozen funds issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

Spokesman Qin Gang said at a regular press conference that the settlement of the issue depends on whether the DPRK and the United States could find a solution that takes the interests and concerns of all parties into consideration and is accepted by all parties.

"As the relevant Chinese bank is a listed company, it must fulfil its international obligations and abide by international laws and regulations. The Chinese side, including the government of Macao Special Administrative Region, also has its international obligations and concerns on this issue," Qin said.

The United States on March 19 agreed to transfer DPRK's 25million U.S. dollars frozen at Macao-based Banco Delta Asia (BDA) to a DPRK account at the Bank of China in Beijing.

But the funds have not been transferred due to some technical problems, which led to the recess of the latest round of six-party talks on March 22.

Qin said all the relevant parties have made continuous efforts to resolve the funds issue since the first phase of the sixth round of talks and China hopes such efforts would "make breakthrough" as soon as possible.

According to Qin, U.S. top negotiator to the six-party talks Christopher Hill is in Japan and will visit China soon, and China is in discussion with the U.S. side on Hill's visit.

A U.S. delegation headed by Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson arrived Sunday in the DPRK for a visit. DPRK top negotiator to the six-party talks Kim Kye-gwan met with Richardson.

Qin said he noted Kim's remarks when meeting with Richardson and he believed DPRK's will of implementing the February 13 joint document, promoting the progress of the six-party talks and realizing denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula has not changed.

Qin said the resumption of the talks is what the six parties are working on.

"It is normal that we face difficulties and the six-party talks process has never been a smooth one, but full of difficulties," said Qin, adding the six parties have a firm and unchanged consensus on working for denuclearization on the Peninsula through negotiations and dialogues, normalization of relations between related countries and lasting peace on the Peninsula.

Editor:Du Xiaodan