PRETORIA/BEIJING, (Reuters)"
NORTH KOREA, vilified in the West for its missile tests, said yesterday it was willing to return to six-party talks on its nuclear programme if the United States dropped financial sanctions.
The comment from Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Hyong Jun came as China condemned a Japan-sponsored United Nations resolution to slap sanctions on North Korea, calling it an over-reaction that would split the Security Council.
"As soon as the United States lifts financial sanctions, we will readily participate in the next round of the six party talks," Kim told reporters in South African capital, Pretoria, where he is on an official visit.
ACCELERATED EFFORTS
His comments came amid accelerated international efforts to find a diplomatic solution to a crisis sparked by Pyongyang's test-launch of missiles last week.
China hosted a number of sessions of the six-party talks, also attended by the United States, South Korea, Japan and Russia.
But the process stalled in November because Pyongyang objected to U.S. financial sanctions based on accusations North Korea counterfeited U.S. currency and trafficked drugs.
A top U.S. envoy flew to Beijing yesterday, seeking a briefing on China's diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.
Backers of the draft U.N. resolution yesterday put off the vote for another day while Chinese officials visit Pyongyang. Eight of the Security Council's 15 members sponsor the text and were due to meet today to reassess the situation.
"The Chinese side thinks the concerned draft resolution is an over-reaction. If approved, it will aggravate contradictions and increase tension," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters. "It will hurt efforts to resume six-party talks as well as lead to the U.N. Security Council splitting."
