China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) agreed yesterday to seek dialogue with Pyongyang at a regional security conference in Malaysia to discuss the country's missile and nuclear programmes.

The agreement at a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his ROK counterpart, Ban Ki-moon, came amid Pyongyang's silence about returning to the stalled Six-Party Talks, aimed at resolving the security standoff on the Korean Peninsula.

"We agreed that it's necessary for the participants of the Six-Party Talks to meet in a six-way or other formats on the sidelines of the security conference," Ban told reporters after one-on-one talks with Li.

The conference, set for today and tomorrow, brings together the foreign ministers of 25 countries and the European Union, including all six countries involved in the nuclear talks - China, Japan, the ROK, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Russia and the United States.

The meeting, called the ASEAN Regional Forum, marks the first time that the six countries have gathered since the DPRK test-fired seven missiles on July 5. It was hoped the six nations could meet on the sidelines of the forum to revive their negotiating process.

But hopes of such a meeting have faded as Pyongyang refuses to join a six-nation meeting.

Pyongyang "is now at a crossroads," ROK top nuclear negotiator Chun Yung-woo said after a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei.

"What kind of attitude DPRK is taking at the regional forum is very important to the DPRK's future," he said.

Pyongyang has boycotted the talks since November in protest of a US crackdown on its alleged financial wrongdoing. Pyongyang demands the US lift financial restrictions against it.

The DPRK's missile tests earlier this month prompted fresh calls to resume the Six-Party Talks in hopes of persuading it to disarm in exchange for economic aid and security assurances.

The DPRK delegation, led by Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun, is scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur today.

Paek is to meet with Li one-on-one tomorrow, according to an ROK official. He was also expected to meet one-on-one with Ban, his ROK counterpart.

Ban said a five-party meeting without Pyongyang is unlikely because some participants think that it may give a "perception of isolating the DPRK."

He said Li also expressed reservations about holding a meeting without the DPRK.

"We cherish the Six-Party Talks, their channel and framework," Li said after meeting his ASEAN counterparts. "Conditions are ripe for the resumption of the Six-Party Talks.

Asked if five-party talks were an option if the DPRK did not want to take part, Li said: "All my colleagues in the meeting room now are supportive of the resumption of Six-Party Talks. None of them is supportive of your idea."

Source: China Daily