CRI NEWS

Media Focus on Six-Party Talks in Beijing

2004-2-25 14:01:31 CRIENGLISH.com

Media in China are focusing on the second round of six-party talks in Beijing aimed at resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Three channels of China Central Television have broadcast live the opening of the talks in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, which also hosted the first round of talks last August.

A front page story in the People's Daily says the talks were specially planned by China, which brought the parties together through successful mediation. The author says the participants are shouldering heavy responsibilities, as the international community hopes the negotiations can produce substantive results to lay a solid foundation for long-term peace and stability in East Asia. But considering the huge gap between North Korea and the United States, there are still big obstacles to a breakthrough.

A Beijing Times commentary says the six-party talks bode well, as the atmosphere before this round of talks looked better than that of the previous round, with the parties concerned stopping mutual accusations.

A story in the New York Times says the six-party negotiations are the only established forum for addressing the Korean nuclear crisis, which many in the region fear could lead to armed conflict with North Korea if not resolved soon.

But the author believes the prospects for a settlement have been clouded by concerns that some in the Bush administration are more focused on overthrowing North Korean leader Kim Jong-il than on reaching an agreement.

An analysis in leading Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun quotes political experts as warning that radical movement is not likely in the six-way talks.

The commentator says Pyongyang's willingness to show up not just for the multilateral talks, but also at a surprise bilateral session with Japan earlier this month, spurred optimism, but it is more likely Tokyo will have to settle for further talks. (Xie Qiao)

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