(L to R) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Pak Ui Chun and Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura pose for a family photo before the first foreign ministers' informal meeting of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in Singapore.

On July 23, 2008, the first foreign ministers' informal meeting of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue was held in Singapore. Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister of China, chair of the six-party talks, hosted the meeting, which was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Pak Ui Chun, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Japanese Foreign Minister Komura Masahiko, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov and Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Yu Myung-hwan.

Yang said the informal meeting of foreign ministers of the six parties on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, which is the first time for foreign ministers of the six-party talks to sit together, was of great importance, adding that it demonstrated the will of all parties to continue advancing the process of the six-party talks.

Yang said in retrospect of the past, all parties, in the spirit of mutual benefit and with a firm political resolve, have overcome various difficulties and made world-acclaimed achievements with their joint efforts. The initial actions for the implementation of the Joint Statement have been fulfilled successfully and the action of the second phase has also made important progress. The heads of delegation meeting held in Beijing recently established the verification and monitoring mechanisms, passed the guiding principles of the mechanisms and mapped out the timetable of implementing the remaining action of the second phase, noted Yang. This provides sound guarantee for all parties to implement the action of the second phase in a comprehensive and balanced manner, added Yang. To continue advancing the process of the six-party talks and achieve the targets in the Joint Statement is in the interest of all parties and is also a widespread expectation of the international community.

Yang pointed out that the six party talks now stand at a turning point of moving into the third phase and face important chances of making new progress. Meanwhile difficulties may also arise on the way ahead, which calls for efforts of all parties to endeavor to meet half way, increase consensus, resolve mutual concerns and implement the remaining action of the second phase at an early date in a comprehensive, balanced way. So long as all parties show political will and determination, the targets in the September 19 Joint Statement will surely be fulfilled. China, chair of the six-party talks, will continue to make constructive contributions to the realization of all the targets in the joint statement.

The foreign ministers of the six parties exchanged views in a candid, positive spirit on the process of the six-party talks and some important issues and reached consensus in the following six aspects. First, the initial success has been achieved in the six-party talks. Second, the six parties reaffirmed they will earnestly fulfill their commitment to the signed joint statements and related documents. Third, the Six-Party Talks are an important platform for enhancing understanding and trust and holding consultation and dialogue on the resolution of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, on normalization of relations between countries concerned and on the building of a new Northeast Asia framework. Fourth, efforts should be made to implement the second-phase action in a comprehensive, balanced and verifiable way, including reaching consensus on the verification protocol at an early date so as to lay a solid foundation for the talks to move into the third phase. Fifth, the six parties should continue to push the talks to conform to common interest of all parties and make continued new progress. Sixth, the formal meeting of foreign ministers of the six parties should be held at an appropriate time and all parties will keep contact and consultations in this regard. .

In the talks, all parties also expressed their respective concerns whose settlement needs efforts of all parties to adhere to the process of the six-party talks. Although the second-phase action is coming to a close, it does not mean the end of the process of the talks, but the opening of a new phase. All parties have a lot of work to do in the future and should steadily push forward the process of the six-party talks.

The other five parties also spoke highly of China's important and constructive role in pushing forward the process of the six-party talks, expressing willingness to continue keeping contact and cooperation with China.