China hoped concerned parties actually fulfil their words and implement the first step toward the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu Thursday.

The fifth round of six-party talks ended here on Tuesday with a joint document on the first step toward the denuclearization on the peninsula.

"This was an important step for the six-party talks process," Jiang told a regular press conference, noting that the denuclearization process of the Korean Peninsula entered a material phase.

Under the document, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will shut down and seal the Yongbyon nuclear facility, including the reprocessing facility and invite back IAEA personnel to conduct all necessary monitoring and verifications.

The parities agreed to the provision of emergency energy assistance to the DPRK in the initial phase, and the assistance equivalent to 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil will commence within 60 days, said the document.

Jiang said China was ready to work with concerned parties to start related works and to implement related duties at an early date.

According to the document, six parties agreed on the establishment of five working groups on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, normalization of DPRK-U.S. relations, normalization of DPRK-Japan relations, economy and energy cooperation as well as Northeast Asia peace and security mechanism.

The working groups will discuss and formulate specific plans for the implementation of the Sept. 19 statement in their respective areas, and the parties agreed that all working groups will meet within next 30 days.

Jiang said a Chinese official would take charge of the working group on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, an official with the Republic of Korean (ROK) would head the working group of economy and energy cooperation, and a Russian official would lead the working group of Northeast Asia peace and security mechanism.

Heads of another two working groups of normalization of DPRK-U.S. relations and normalization of DPRK-Japan relations would come from the three nations respectively, according to Jiang.

The detailed operation form of the working groups would be discussed by concerned parties, Jiang noted.

Jiang said the detailed modalities of the said assistance will be determined through consultations and appropriate assessments in the working group on economic and energy cooperation.

As to some problems between the DPRK and Japan, Jiang hoped the two nations properly solve the issue through bilateral contacts.

The Northeast Asia peace and security is related to interests of all nations in the region, Jiang said, hoping Japan take an active part in the denuclearization process of the Korean Peninsula.

Source: Xinhua