Dialogue only choice for Korean nuclear issue

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states have agreed that dialogue and consultations are the only proper choice for settling the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, Chinese President Hu Jintao has said.

Hu made the remarks in a written interview with media organizations from SCO member states prior to the 12th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO scheduled to be held in Beijing on Wednesday and Thursday.

The SCO hopes to promote the denuclearization process on the Korean Peninsula through the Six-Party Talks, so as to safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia, Hu said.

The Six-Party Talks, which involve China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan, were launched in August 2003, but stalled in December 2008. The DPRK quit the talks in April 2009.

On the Iran nuclear issue, Hu said the SCO member states support Russia, the United States, Germany, Britain, France and China in opening a sustainable dialogue with Iran and resolving the Iran nuclear crisis through political and diplomatic means.

The SCO member states call on all parties to refrain from remarks and actions that could lead to the escalation of confrontations, he noted.

These moves will be of practical significance to the maintenance of peace and stability in the Middle East and the pursuit of a comprehensive, long-term and appropriate resolution to the Iran nuclear issue, according to Hu.

With regards to issues in Afghanistan, Hu said the SCO supports Afghanistan in establishing itself as an independent, peaceful, prosperous, good-neighborly country that is free of terrorism and drugs.

The SCO supports the United Nations in playing a leading role in mediation and assistance efforts in Afghanistan, he said.

The SCO has already set up an SCO-Afghanistan liaison group, and Afghanistan will be accepted as an observer state in the upcoming summit. The SCO will continue to host relevant consultations and meetings and back Afghanistan's reconstruction efforts with practical actions, Hu said.

The SCO was founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, and currently has six full members -- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India are four observer states, and its dialogue partners include Belarus and Sri Lanka.