N. Korea calls for nuke talks with US
Source: Agencies |
November 3, 2009, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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North Korea called yesterday for direct talks with the United States and gave the clearest signal so far it was ready to return to nuclear disarmament talks it has boycotted for almost a year.
The comments follow last week's rare visit by a North Korean official to the United States.
"The conclusion we have reached is that the direct parties, which are the North Korea and the United States, must first sit down and find a rational solution," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the country's KCNA news agency.
"Now that we have shown the generosity of stating the position that we would be willing to talk to the United States and hold multilateral talks including the six-way talks, it is time for the United States to make a decision."
Willingness
The comments were the strongest so far on North Korea's willingness to return to the six-party talks it walked out on last December.
Last month, Noth Korea leader Kim Jong-il said he would consider rejoining the talks with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the US, provided it had direct discussions with the US government.
US academics and former officials said last Friday after meeting Pyongyang's second ranking nuclear envoy that North Korea appeared to be more open to resuming the six-way talks on its nuclear program.
North Korea's Ri Gun met the US special envoy to disarmament talks in the past week in rare contacts in the US, viewed as prelude to a visit to Pyongyang by senior US officials.
The comments follow last week's rare visit by a North Korean official to the United States.
"The conclusion we have reached is that the direct parties, which are the North Korea and the United States, must first sit down and find a rational solution," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the country's KCNA news agency.
"Now that we have shown the generosity of stating the position that we would be willing to talk to the United States and hold multilateral talks including the six-way talks, it is time for the United States to make a decision."
Willingness
The comments were the strongest so far on North Korea's willingness to return to the six-party talks it walked out on last December.
Last month, Noth Korea leader Kim Jong-il said he would consider rejoining the talks with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the US, provided it had direct discussions with the US government.
US academics and former officials said last Friday after meeting Pyongyang's second ranking nuclear envoy that North Korea appeared to be more open to resuming the six-way talks on its nuclear program.
North Korea's Ri Gun met the US special envoy to disarmament talks in the past week in rare contacts in the US, viewed as prelude to a visit to Pyongyang by senior US officials.
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