ID :
51448
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 21:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/51448
The shortlink copeid
Chinese president meets N. Korean premier
(ATTN: UPDATES with Kim-Hu meeting, comment from Chinese foreign ministry)
BEIJING, March 19 (Yonhap) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao met with North Korea's
visiting premier Thursday for talks that sources say likely included discussions
on a possible summit with North Korea's reclusive leader.
North Korean Premier Kim Yong-il was visiting Beijing as tensions were running
high over the North's planned rocket launch next month. South Korea, the U.S. and
Japan believe the launch is a cover for a long-range missile test.
Upon greeting Hu, the North Korean premier conveyed "warm greetings" from North
Korean leader Kim, reports said. The results of their closed-door talks were not
immediately available.
Analysts predict a summit this year between Hu and the North Korean leader to
commemorate 60 years of their nations' diplomatic relations.
Sources in Beijing said Hu and the North Korean premier would discuss the
possibility of a summit. Chinese officials have asked Kim Jong-il to visit China
after his country's newly elected parliament convenes, most likely in early
April, and celebrates the birthday of his father and North Korean founder Kim
Il-sung on April 15, the sources said.
Kim Jong-il accepted a written invitation from Hu to visit Beijing, according to
China's Xinhua news agency in January.
Seoul officials believe Kim, 67, has recovered enough to travel to China after
allegedly suffering a stroke in August. He last visited China in 2006 following a
rare trip by Hu to North Korea a year earlier.
North Korean media did not mention the summit or the tension from Pyongyang's
planned rocket launch, focusing instead on the allies' friendly relations. Kim
started the five-day visit Tuesday, accompanied by an entourage of
economy-related Cabinet ministers.
"It is the consistent stand of China to steadily develop the Sino-DPRK friendly
relations and bring greater benefit to the two peoples," the North's Korean
Central News Agency quoted Wen Jiabao, Kim Young-il's counterpart, as saying
Wednesday when the two met. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, the North's official name.
Xinhua news agency said Wen proposed enhancing cooperation in trade and
investment, as well as international and regional issues, including the six-party
talks. The denuclearization talks, also including South Korea, the U.S., Japan
and Russia, have been stalled since December due to a dispute over how to verify
the North's past nuclear activity.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday China hopes for the
early resumption of the six-party talks.
China fought for North Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War against South Korea and
the United States and is a major donor to the impoverished North. South Korea's
humanitarian aid to Pyongyang was suspended about a year ago amid faltering
cross-border relations.
(END)
BEIJING, March 19 (Yonhap) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao met with North Korea's
visiting premier Thursday for talks that sources say likely included discussions
on a possible summit with North Korea's reclusive leader.
North Korean Premier Kim Yong-il was visiting Beijing as tensions were running
high over the North's planned rocket launch next month. South Korea, the U.S. and
Japan believe the launch is a cover for a long-range missile test.
Upon greeting Hu, the North Korean premier conveyed "warm greetings" from North
Korean leader Kim, reports said. The results of their closed-door talks were not
immediately available.
Analysts predict a summit this year between Hu and the North Korean leader to
commemorate 60 years of their nations' diplomatic relations.
Sources in Beijing said Hu and the North Korean premier would discuss the
possibility of a summit. Chinese officials have asked Kim Jong-il to visit China
after his country's newly elected parliament convenes, most likely in early
April, and celebrates the birthday of his father and North Korean founder Kim
Il-sung on April 15, the sources said.
Kim Jong-il accepted a written invitation from Hu to visit Beijing, according to
China's Xinhua news agency in January.
Seoul officials believe Kim, 67, has recovered enough to travel to China after
allegedly suffering a stroke in August. He last visited China in 2006 following a
rare trip by Hu to North Korea a year earlier.
North Korean media did not mention the summit or the tension from Pyongyang's
planned rocket launch, focusing instead on the allies' friendly relations. Kim
started the five-day visit Tuesday, accompanied by an entourage of
economy-related Cabinet ministers.
"It is the consistent stand of China to steadily develop the Sino-DPRK friendly
relations and bring greater benefit to the two peoples," the North's Korean
Central News Agency quoted Wen Jiabao, Kim Young-il's counterpart, as saying
Wednesday when the two met. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, the North's official name.
Xinhua news agency said Wen proposed enhancing cooperation in trade and
investment, as well as international and regional issues, including the six-party
talks. The denuclearization talks, also including South Korea, the U.S., Japan
and Russia, have been stalled since December due to a dispute over how to verify
the North's past nuclear activity.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday China hopes for the
early resumption of the six-party talks.
China fought for North Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War against South Korea and
the United States and is a major donor to the impoverished North. South Korea's
humanitarian aid to Pyongyang was suspended about a year ago amid faltering
cross-border relations.
(END)
