DPRK leader Kim Jong-il poses for a photo with Wang Jiarui

Kim Jong-il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said Monday that Pyongyang is ready to resume the six-party talks at any time if conditions are met.

Kim made the remarks when he met with visiting Chinese senior official Wang Jiarui.

The DPRK's stance on a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and peaceful settlement of the issue through dialogue remain unchanged, Kim told Wang, head of the International Department of CPC Central Committee.

Kim said that the DPRK never opposes the six-party talks, let alone withdraws from the talks.

If the conditions for the fourth round of six-party talks are met, the DPRK will return to the negotiating table at any time, he said, adding that he hopes the relevant parties show their adequate sincerity and take concrete actions.

During the meeting, Wang conveyed Chinese President Hu Jintao's oral message to Kim. Hu, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the CPC, said that China and the DPRK stick to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula. Both countries have maintained that peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue through the six-party talks and the DPRK's justified concerns are in the fundamental interests of both sides.

China wishes that the situation is not being complicated and the six-party talks will be resumed at an early date, Wang quoted Hu as saying.

Kim expressed thanks to Hu's oral message and spoke highly of great efforts made by the CPC and the Chinese government in safeguarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

On the DPRK's nuclear issue, Wang said China always supports the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintains to the peace and stability on the peninsula.

China hopes that all relevant parties will resolve the nuclear issue through dialogues while DPRK's reasonable security concern is fully respected, he said.

China believes that a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula will conform to the best interests of Korean people as well as the security interests of China. China also hopes to resume the six-party talks at an early date through the efforts of the relevant parties, Wang added.

On Feb. 10, the DPRK said it is suspending its participation in the six-party talks on the nuclear issue for an "indefinite period" and accused the United States of adopting a hostile policy toward the DPRK.

Three rounds of six-party talks, participated by representatives from the DPRK, the United States, China, South Korea, Russia and Japan, have taken place in Beijing since August 2003.

On the bilateral relations, Hu noted in his message that friendly ties between the CPC and the Korean Workers' Party have continued to make headway in recent years thanks to the concerted efforts made by the two sides, adding that the CPC hopes for greater progress in the bilateral ties in the new year.

During the talks, Wang said exchanges between the DPRK and China have been fruitful in various field while trade and economic cooperation are developing steadily.

He stressed that China is willing to work with the DPRK in efforts to strengthen all-around good-neighborly friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, Kim expressed his satisfaction to the development of the bilateral ties and hoped the DPRK and China will continue to make joint efforts to promote the relationship in the new century.

Wang arrived in Pyongyang Saturday afternoon for a four-day visit at the invitation of the Worker's Party of Korea.

On Sunday, Kim Yong-nam, president of DPRK's Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, held talks with Wang and the two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and inter-party contacts, as well as regional and global issues of common concern.