In paper to U.N., China renews call for restart of N. Korea nuclear talks

BEIJING (Yonhap) – China has renewed its commitment to an early resumption of six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program ahead of the United Nations General Assembly later this month.

North Korea withdrew from the six-party talks with South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia in 2009 and conducted its third nuclear test in 2013.

Mindful of Pyongyang's track record of saber-rattling before returning to negotiations for economic concessions, Seoul and Washington insist that they won't resume the talks unless Pyongyang lives up to its previous denuclearization pledges.

South Korea and the U.S. have asked China, North Korea's last-remaining patron, to play a greater role in leading the North to demonstrate with action its denuclearization commitment, but Beijing's diplomatic efforts have been unsuccessful.

In its "Position Paper," dated Friday, to the upcoming U.N. General Assembly, China said it "hopes that the parties concerned will refrain from any action that may raise tensions, engage in contact and dialogue, stay committed to resolving differences through negotiation and work for the early resumption of the six-party talks."

The long-stalled multilateral talks are still a "practical and effective platform for addressing the concerns of all parties in a balanced manner and achieving denuclearization on the (Korean) Peninsula," China said in the paper posted on its foreign ministry's website.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong is expected to visit New York to attend this month's U.N. meeting, Seoul officials said, in what would be the first visit by a top North Korean diplomat in 15 years.