North South Korean tension:

Wen urges to avoid clashes

S KOREA: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday calls for proper handling of the fallout from the March sinking of a South Korean warship and gradually defusing tensions over the incident.

“The pressing task for the moment is to properly handle the serious impact caused by the Cheonan (the South Korean warship) incident, gradually defuse tensions over it, and avoid possible conflicts,” Wen said.

Wen was speaking at a joint press conference following a two-day summit meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on the South Korean resort island.

Wen said efforts should be made to help steer the situation toward a direction which is conducive to peace and stability in the region.

Peace and stability are a precondition for the development in the region, otherwise regional development would be impossible, he warned.

China will continue keeping close communication with South Korea over the Cheonan incident, he said.

On March 26, the South Korean naval vessel, Cheonan, with 104 crew members onboard, sank into the waters off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula, killing 46 sailors.

 Jeju, Sunday, Xinhua