China calls for emergency 6-party meet to resolve Korean crisis

• China on Sunday proposed "emergency consultations" among representatives of the Six Party Talks – which involve the North and South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States – to help resolve the escalating crisis on the Korean Peninsula.
• China has stepped up its diplomatic efforts in recent days in a bid to address the crisis on the Korean Peninsula. Tuesday's exchange of fire, which marked the most serious escalation in tensions since the end of the Korean War in 1953, left at least four dead and 18 injured on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, which was shelled by the North. Both sides have accused the other of starting the hostilities.
• Beijing reiterated its concerns over the on-going military exercises being conducted by the U.S. and South Korea in the Yellow Sea. The North has warned that the four-day exercises would bring the region to the "brink of war."
• The U.S., too, has been reluctant to resume the Six-Party Talks unless the North took concrete steps towards abandoning its nuclear programme. Following last week's revelation that the North had recently unveiled a new uranium enrichment facility, U.S. special envoy Stephen Bosworth appeared to rule out any likelihood in dialogue resuming, during a visit to Beijing.
• The talks were set up by the six nations in 2003 with the aim of moving towards denuclearisation on the peninsula, proposing that North Korea abandon its nuclear programme in return for aid.