ROK top negotiator to six-party talks leaves Beijing

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-25 14:32

BEIJING -- Wie Sung-rak, head of the Republic of Korea (ROK) delegation to the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, left Beijing Wednesday noon after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) reasserted its right to launch a satellite.

Wie arrived in Beijing Tuesday and met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister and chief negotiator to the talks Wu Dawei.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Tuesday that Wu and Wie exchanged views on the Korean peninsula, but no detail was released by any side after the meeting.

Wie left for the airport early Wednesday. Sources from the ROK embassy said Wie met with Wu only and had no other arrangements in Beijing.

Qin said China was very concerned about the situation on the Korean Peninsula and hoped that all parties would remain calm and show restraint and avoid actions that may make the situation more complicated.

Qin also appealed for an early resumption of the six-party talks, which were still widely regarded as the best way to ease tensions on the peninsula.

Besides reasserting its right to launch a satellite, the DPRK's Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday that any intervention in the country's space program could lead to a collapse of the already stalled six-party talks, and declared that the launch would take place between April 4 and 8.

Wie visited Japan last week and met with Japanese officials, saying that ROK and Japan would continue diplomatic efforts to dissuade the DPRK from its planned satellite launch.