China has appointed 54-year-old former ambassador to Norway Chen
Naiqing as its special envoy on Korean Peninsula affairs, according
to the Foreign Ministry.
Chen, a professional diplomat, joined the Foreign Ministry in
1974 and has been the ambassador to Norway since 2003.
Her predecessor Li Bin was ambassador to the Republic of Korea
(ROK) before being appointed envoy to Korean Peninsula affairs in
September 2005.
The appointment of Chen, who works as a close aid to
Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, is expected to speed up the process
of resolving the nuclear issues of the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (DPRK).
Also on Friday, The DPRK reiterated its commitment to implement
the Feb. 13 agreement, saying it would invite the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation to the country once it
retrieves the US$25 million in funds frozen in Macao's Banco Delta
Asia.
"The DPRK remains unchanged in its will to implement the Feb. 13
agreement, but what matters is that it cannot move as the issue of
frozen funds has not yet been completely settled," Ri Je-son,
director of the General Department of Atomic Energy of the DPRK,
said in a reply to IAEA Director-General Mohamed elBaradei's
request for a visit by the IAEA delegation to the DPRK.
Ri said the DPRK decided to suspend operations at the nuclear
facility in Yongbyon on the premise that the US unfreezes the
DPRK's funds in the Banco Delta Asia in Macao within 30 days after
publication of the Feb. 13 agreement.
"Working negotiations are now brisk between a DPRK bank and the
above-said bank to settle the issue," Ri said.
"The DPRK is ready to invite (the IAEA delegation) the moment
the actual unfreezing of the frozen funds in the bank has been
confirmed," he added.
Under the agreement adopted by the six parties during their
latest talks on Feb. 13, the DPRK was supposed to shut down and
seal the Yongbyon facilities within 60 days in exchange for 50,000
tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent aid. The deadline to shut down
the nuclear plant passed on April 14.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2007)
