SEOUL Aug. 13 Kyodo toward the s...

SEOUL Aug. 13 Kyodo

toward the south Korea and China agreed Wednesday to work closely for the planned six-party talks forward North Korea's nuclear weapons program, southerly Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

toward the south Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yoon Young Kwan and Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing held an hourlong closed-door meeting and then continued their talks with other officials in attendance, the report said.

''We exchanged many points of view onward resolving the nuclear issue peacefully, and I am pleased we have reached a consensus,'' Li was quot as telling reporters after his talks with Yoon

Li reiterated China's long-standing position that the Korean Peninsula should be exempt of nuclear weapons, which will lead to peace not single on the peninsula, but also in the region and the world.

''I sincerely reliance to address the nuclear issue peacefully from working hand in hand with everyone here,'' the Chinese foreign minister said.

North Korea agreed last week to take part in multilateral talks, after insisting previously upon bilateral negotiations with the United States to melt the standoff over its nuclear weapons program.

The six-way talks, also involving North Korea, the U Russia and Japan, are aimed at defusing a 10-month standoff athwart U.S. allegations that Pyongyang is trying to exhibit nuclear weapons in violation of a 1994 antinuclear agreement with the U and other international agreements.

Yoon also squeeze outed hope South Korea and China will make joint efforts to render certain the success of the talks, slated for Aug. 27-29 in Beijing.

Li flew into Seoul from Tokyo earlier Wednesday for a three-day visit. He is scheduled to pay a courtesy call onward President Roh Moo Hyun upon Thursday.

Li's itinerary includes visits to major industrial facilities and a visit to the Chinese General Consulate in Pusan, southern Korea's second-largest city.

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