Chinese Foreign Minister says 6-party talks difficult to resume, sees progress in South China Sea issue

Record ID: 905478

  • Title: Chinese Foreign Minister says 6-party talks difficult to resume, sees progress in South China Sea issue
  • Date: 6th August 2017
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 6, 2017) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI, SPEAKING TO MEDIA REPORTERS HOLDING MICROPHONES (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI, SAYING: "It's not that easy (to resume the six-party talks), but it is a direction that we need to work towards together. Dialogue and negotiation are the only right way to solve the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula, which is what was stipulated in (Security Council) resolution 237 which was agreed upon by the 15 members of the U.N. Security Council." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI, SAYING: "We consistently oppose unilateral sanctions, and we consistently oppose a country using its own domestic laws to impose sanctions on another sovereign country. There is no basis of international law. We hope to work together with all the relevant parties to set effective resolutions through the U.N. Security Council, that is targeting the Korean peninsula and coincide with the international law. China will strictly abide to it." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI, SAYING: "North Korea reiterated what they've always been saying and reaffirmed their stance. But I don't think this is much of an issue because what really matters is that the North Korean foreign minister is here and he has a chance to listen to the views of various parties on the Korean peninsula issues." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI, SAYING: "I felt that all 10 ASEAN foreign ministers have shown a very positive attitude, including on South China Sea issue. They affirmed that we have made valuable achievements in the past few years and we agreed we should all cherish this kind of positive momentum. One could say that the South China Sea issue actually has made some visible, attainable, positive progress compared to our meeting one year ago." REPORTERS WANG WALKING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2017 09:44
  • Keywords: China North Korea sanctions United States ARF ASEAN news conference
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016T0OO5H
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:China's foreign minister said on Sunday (August 6) it would be not be easy to restart six-party talks about North Korea's nuclear programme and missile tests, but dialogue was necessary and all sides should work towards that goal.
    Wang Yi, who met his North Korean counterpart earlier, was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of regional foreign ministers in Manila. He voiced his support for the latest U.N. sanctions, but pressed for those measures to be accompanied by talks among the major nations involved.
    Separately, Southeast Asian officials were still trying to reach consensus on a customary communiqué that was supposed to have been released on Saturday (August 5), reflecting differences about how to address disputes involving Beijing in the South China Sea.
    Wang said China's relationship with its Association of Southeast Asian Nations counterparts has seen tangible progress and urged all to cherish the "positive momentum". A negotiation between Southeast Asian countries and China on a code of conduct for the South China Sea would start this year, and whatever agreement is made must be adhered to.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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