China, ASEAN call on NKorea to give up nuclear weapons

NANNING, China, Oct 30, 2006 (AFP) - Chinese and Southeast Asian leaders called on North Korea Monday to abide by its pledge last year to abandon its nuclear weapons program, after discussing the issue at a one-day summit here.
"We jointly advocate the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and demand all parties continue respecting the September 19 joint statement last year on the aim of denuclearization," Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said after the summit.
"We call on the early resumption of the six-party talks."
In six-nation talks on September 19 last year, North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for pledges of aid and security.
However North Korea pulled out of the talks in November last year, then conducted its first test of an atomic bomb on October 9.
The six-nation talks involve hosts China, the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia.
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