Australia wants China to try to persuade North Korea to resume talks on its nuclear weapons program, Defence Minister Robert Hill says.
Senator Hill, in Singapore for regional security talks, told reporters after a meeting with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that he planned to raise the six-party talks on a coming visit to China.
Australia wants China to try to persuade North Korea to resume talks on its nuclear weapons program, Defence Minister Robert Hill says.
Senator Hill, in Singapore for regional security talks, told reporters after a meeting with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that he planned to raise the six-party talks on a coming visit to China.
"When I'm in China next week, I'll be urging China to be more proactive on the issue...", Senator Hill said.
"They have considerable influence and we would like them to use all of that influence to encourage North Korea to return to the table."
Several regional defence chiefs attending the security forum have also urged China to be more actively involved in the North Korea issue.
In a speech at the forum, Mr Rumsfeld suggested China use its influence to convince the North Koreans to go back to the negotiating table.
North Korea has boycotted the talks with the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, and Russia for the past year in protest at what it regards as a hostile US policy.
The three-day regional security forum, organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
