中国敦促重启六方会谈

中国外交部发言人姜瑜星期四在外交部举行的发布会上敦促会谈各方“保持冷静克制，相向而行”。

与此同时，韩国宣布，韩国高级核谈判代表魏圣洛正在前往华盛顿，同美国的高级官员在星期五早上举行会谈。中国政府朝鲜半岛事务特别代表武大伟星期三在华盛顿与同样的美国官员举行了会晤。

去年中断了有关通过无核化换取援助会谈的北韩现在看来急于看到这次会谈的恢复。中国媒体报导说，北韩领导人金正日上个星期访华期间向中国国家主席胡锦涛发出了这一信息。

China is stepping up the diplomatic pressure for a resumption of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program. At a Foreign Ministry briefing on Thursday, spokesman Jiang Yu urged all sides in the talks to "keep calm, exercise restraint and meet each other halfway."

South Korea, meanwhile, announced that its top nuclear negotiator, Wi Sung-lac, is on his way to Washington for talks with senior U.S. officials on Friday morning. China's nuclear envoy, Wu Dawei, met with the same officials in the U.S. capital on Wednesday.

North Korea, which broke off the aid-for-denuclearization talks last year, now appears eager to see them resume. Chinese press reports said North Korean leader Kim Jong Il delivered that message to Chinese President Hu Jintao during a visit to China last week.