New draft resolution 'good attempt' to break US-DPRK dialogue deadlock: Chinese envoy

UNITED NATIONS -- The draft resolution jointly proposed by China and Russian in the UN Security Council represents "a good attempt to break the current deadlock" of the dialogue between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a Chinese envoy said here Tuesday.

The core purpose of the draft resolution is to maintain the momentum for the political settlement, and properly accommodate the DPRK's concern on easing sanctions, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

The draft resolution includes three main aspects. First, it reiterates that relevant parties should be committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Second, it urges the United States and the DPRK to continue dialogue and calls for the resumption of the six-party talks. Third, it proposes lifting some of the sanctions on the DPRK in light of the country's compliance with relevant resolutions, according to a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Zhang emphasized that the current situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a critical stage, which is "complicated, sensitive, and fragile."

The UN Security Council should take action to promote the political settlement process and break the current deadlock, said Zhang.

Adjusting the Security Council sanction measures on the DPRK is conducive to maintaining the momentum of US-DPRK dialogue and easing the humanitarian and livelihood-related situation in the DPRK, Zhang said.

It is also conducive to encouraging the DPRK to take greater strides in the direction of denuclearization and creating conditions and lending impetus to the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue, he said.

The draft resolution is in the interest of all parties, the envoy added.