China expects progress, even if small, in each round of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in Beijing Thursday at a regular press conference.

Liu said it was difficult to make progress in solving the nuclear issue due to the complexity of the issue, and all concerned parties should remain patient and not expect too much from the six-party talks.

At the first working group meeting of the six-party talks in Beijing last month, negotiators from China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan agreed the third round of six-party talks will beheld in Beijing before the end of June after one more working-level discussion.

Liu said all concerned parties now had put forward their proposals on the date of the next round of talks, and China will continue to consult with the other five parties on this issue, so as to reach consensus soon.

Liu said the third round of six-party talks was very important, and the key to success lies in whether all parties concerned will have been fully prepared before the talks.

Now that there were still comparatively big differences among the parties concerned, China hopes the related parties would continue to take a constructive attitude, show flexibility to the full, seek and expand common ground, narrow differences, and work actively to find solutions, the spokesman said.

Liu said the most important thing for all concerned parties was to continue the process of resolving the nuclear issue in a peaceful way, and to implement all consensus which had been reached.

The issues related to the specific themes and date of next round of six-party talks will be consulted by all concerned parties, so as to provide full preparation for the talks, Liu said.

China holds an open attitude toward the issue of when the talks would be held, Liu said, adding that China will continue to play an active role in facilitating the peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue in a constructive manner.

Source: Xinhua