Dialogue is key to Korean Peninsula situation: Diplomat
China firmly believes that the Korean Peninsula issue can only be addressed through dialogue, a senior diplomat said on Monday.
In an interview with Phoenix TV, Vice-Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said that the Six-Party Talks is a helpful and effective platform for all related parties to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue through political dialogue.
As long as all sides uphold the belief of dialogue for resolution, the Six-Party Talks will have vitality, said Kong, who also is China's special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs.
"There is only one choice to address the Korean Peninsula issue, that is to have dialogue, and there are no other choices," he said.
China calls for joint efforts of not only the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, but also other related parties to act in the same direction, boost mutual trust and make conditions for the dialogue on the issue, he said.
The related parties should not set preconditions that may be refused by some party as a premise for restarting talks, Kong said, adding that the Korean Peninsula issue should be addressed step by step with the principle of equality.
It will take a long time to melt down the ice of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula, and all related parties should keep patience in the process, he said.
Through raising the proposal of "suspension for suspension" and the concept of "walking on dual tracks", China hopes to build a bridge for all sides to have dialogues, Kong said.
China welcomes the positive changes of the Korean Peninsula situation, including the restoration of contacts between the DPRK and ROK and their important consensus on such issues as Winter Olympic Games cooperation and improvement of north-south relations, he said.