The newly-designated UN secretary- general, Ban Ki-moon, said in Paris on Friday that he was "encouraged" by the perspective of DPRK's resumption of six-party talks.

Ban made the comments when having a working dinner with French President Jacques Chirac at the Elysee Palace on Friday.

"It is encouraging that the concerned participants have accepted to return to the discussions," he told press.

DPRK announced this week that it was ready to return to the six- party talks, which involve China, the DPRK, the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan and have been stalled since last November.

The 62-year-old career diplomat will take over from Kofi Annan to become UN's eighth secretary-general on Jan. 1, 2007.

Ban and Chirac also talked about other international issues of common concern, including Iranian nuclear crisis, Darfur issue, the situation in Lebanon and Cote d'Ivoire.

Source: Xinhua