中国呼吁朝鲜接受国际社会核查 China calls on N Korea to admit inspectors

China has made a rare appeal to North Korea to allow international inspections of its nuclear facilities amid signs that recent tension on the Korean peninsula might be easing.

中国向朝鲜发出了罕见的呼吁，希望朝鲜允许国际社会对其核设施进行核查。有迹象显示，朝鲜半岛近期的紧张局势可能正在缓和。

Beijing, Pyongyang’s only ally, has refused to criticise it publicly despite coming under intense pressure since a North Korean attack on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in November. “We support North Korea to make peaceful use of nuclear energy, but it should also respect inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency under the framework of the six-party talks,” said Jiang Yu, a foreign ministry spokeswoman.

尽管自朝鲜11月份攻击韩国延坪岛以来，中国承受着巨大的压力，但作为朝鲜唯一的盟友，中国一直拒绝在公开场合对其进行批评。中国外交部发言人姜瑜表示：“我们支持朝鲜和平利用核能，但它也应当尊重国际原子能机构(IAEA)在六方会谈框架内对其进行核查”。

She made the remarks after Bill Richardson, the US governor of New Mexico, had said after a private trip to North Korea that Pyong­yang had agreed to do just that. “The specifics are that they will allow IAEA personnel to go to [North Korea’s main nuclear site] Yongbyon to ensure that they are not processing highly enriched uranium, that they are proceeding with peaceful purposes,’’ Mr Richardson said while in transit at Beijing.

在姜瑜发表上述讲话前，美国新墨西哥州州长比尔•理查森(Bill Richardson)刚刚结束对朝鲜的私人访问。理查森说，平壤方面已同意接受国际原子能机构人员赴朝核查。他在过境北京时表示：“具体内容是，他们将允许国际原子能机构人员前往[朝鲜主要核基地]宁边，以确保他们并未提炼高浓缩铀，而是出于和平目的利用核能。”

Ms Jiang said China had “taken note” of Mr Richardson’s reported comments. “The situation remains very complicated and sensitive,” she added, reiterating China’s repeated calls for restraint from all sides and a resumption of the talks.

姜瑜表示，中国已“注意到”理查森在有关报道中的讲话。“当前朝鲜半岛局势仍然复杂敏感，”她补充说，并且重申了中国希望各方保持克制冷静及重启六方会谈的一再呼吁。

Urging North Korea to allow the return of IAEA inspectors, who were asked to leave in 2009, is a departure for Beijing, which previously refused to condemn the Yeonpyeong attack.

就中国而言，敦促朝鲜允许2009年被命令离朝的国际原子能机构核查人员返朝可谓一项反常之举。中国此前曾拒绝谴责朝鲜攻击延坪岛。

But South Korea remains unimpressed. “The appeal only came after Richardson had already conveyed the message,” said a Seoul diplomat. Mr Richardson also cautioned that North Korea had taken only a first step. “I believe that’s an important gesture on their part, but there still has to be a commitment eventually to denuclearise, to abide by the 2005 agreement that says they will terminate their nuclear weapons activities,” he said.

不过，中国此举并未打动韩国。首尔一位外交官表示：“中国是在理查森已经传达（朝鲜应允的）消息后才发出上述呼吁的。”理查森也告诫称，朝鲜方面只是迈出了第一步。他说：“我认为对他们来说，这一步是个重要姿态。但他们仍须致力于最终实现无核化，致力于遵守各方2005年达成的终止朝鲜核武活动的协议。”

And the White House on Tuesday rejected new multinational talks with North Korea on the nuclear issue, saying it needed to change its “belligerent” behaviour first, AP reports.

与此同时，据美联社(AP)报道，白宫方面周二拒绝就朝核问题展开新的多国会谈，称朝鲜必须首先改变其“好战”态度。

China also tried to defuse any risk of additional tension from a maritime clash between Chinese fishing boats and South Korean coastguard at the weekend. One fisherman drowned and eight were detained by South Korean authorities as the result of a standoff in South Korean waters.

中国还试图避免中韩海事冲突加剧紧张局势。上周末，中国渔船与韩国海洋警察厅巡逻船在韩国水域发生冲突，结果，一名中国渔民溺水身亡，八名中国渔民遭韩国当局拘押。

Ms Jiang said the incident had “no direct relation” to the situation on the peninsula.

姜瑜表示，这一事件与当前半岛局势“没有直接关系”。