China disavows nuke engery co-op with DPRK

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-20 16:13

BEIJING -- China Monday disavowed any kind of cooperation with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in nuclear energy development, and urged a peaceful solution to the DPRK nuclear disputes.

"China has never had any cooperation with the DPRK in nuclear energy development," Wang Yiren, head of China's Atomic Energy Authority, told reporters at a nuclear energy conference in Beijing.

Wang said China had always endorsed peaceful solutions, such as dialogue and negotiation, to resolve nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula.

China urged "calm and restraint" Thursday from the six parties in the talks aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula after the DPRK asked international nuclear inspectors to leave the country.

The DPRK's move came after the United Nations Security Council said in a statement the DPRK launch was "in contravention of Security Council Resolution 1718" and demanded the DPRK "not conduct any further launch."

China said Tuesday it disapproved of the United Nations adopting any new resolution on the DPRK launch, and opposed any new sanctions.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Mohamed ElBaradei also called at the conference for dialogue to resolve the issues.