China urges emergency consultations over North Korea

China said on Sunday it wants emergency consultations among six governments involved in talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programme, adding that the consultations would not amount to a full restart of the stalled negotiations.

The call was made by a senior Chinese diplomat, Wu Dawei, at a brief news conference. The talks bring together North and South Korea, host China, the United States, Japan and Russia.

Confrontation between Seoul and Pyongyang erupted after North Korea shelled a South Korean island last week, prompting calls from Washington and its regional allies for China to use its sway to rein in Pyongyang.

Beijing is the North's most powerful ally and has repeatedly urged restraint and fresh talks to defuse tensions. China has voiced concern about joint US-South Korea military exercises aimed at warning North Korea that began on Sunday.

First Published: Nov 28, 2010 14:37 IST