China, S. Korea leaders seek early 6-party talks on N. Korea

Asian Political News, Nov 24, 2004

SANTIAGO, Nov. 19 Kyodo

Chinese President Hu Jintao and South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun agreed Friday to seek an early resumption of the six-party talks to help resolve the crisis over North Korea's nuclear ambitions, a Chinese official said.

The two leaders agreed that excessively deep distrust between the United States and North Korea has hampered the progress of the six-way process, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said.

North and South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia failed to follow up on their agreement in June to reconvene the six-party talks by the end of September.

North Korea has refused to attend a new round of talks, condemning the United States for adopting what it calls a ''hostile policy'' toward Pyongyang.

The North Korean nuclear crisis erupted nearly two years ago when the United States said Pyongyang had admitted to running a secret uranium enrichment program to produce nuclear weapons in violation of anti-nuclear international agreements.

Hu and Roh met on the eve of a summit of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to be held in the Chilean capital Santiago on Saturday and Sunday.