Sooner the better for NKorea talks, says China

Beijing, Nov 2: China said it would continue to enforce UN sanctions on North Korea and that it was not up to six-party disarmament talks to decide their fate.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao also said no date had been set for the resumption of the talks, aimed at reining in North Korea's nuclear programme, but that if preparations were in place, ''the earlier the better''.

North Korea's nuclear test on October 9 drew world-wide condemnation and UN sanctions under resolution 1718, backed by China, the reclusive state's long-time supporter.

''Resolution 1718 in fact reflects the consensus of the international community and each country has a duty to strictly and responsibly implement it and China is no exception,'' Liu told a news briefing in Beijing.

Today's remarks were the first official Chinese comment since North Korea agreed on Tuesday to return to the six-party talks, grouping the two Koreas, China, the United States, Japan and Russia.

Washington has said it will ''address'' North Korea's concerns in the next round of discussions, which Beijing has hosted since 2003.

Reuters