This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8291882.stm

The article has changed 36 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 10 Version 11
North Korea 'may return to talks' North Korea 'may return to talks'
(10 minutes later)
North Korea says it may be willing to return to six-party international talks on its nuclear weapons programme, state media has reported. North Korea says it may be willing to return to six-party international talks on its nuclear weapons programme, state media have reported.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is said to have made the announcement to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who is currently visiting Pyongyang. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is said to have made the announcement to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao before he left Pyongyang after a three-day visit.
But Pyongyang said the return would be dependent on the progress of its planned bilateral talks with the US. But Mr Kim said the return would be dependent on the progress of its planned bilateral talks with the US.
The US says it remains ready to engage with North Korea.The US says it remains ready to engage with North Korea.
A US state department spokesman said the aim for Washington was to convince Pyongyang to take the path to complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. North Korea and China's neighbours hoped the visit would restart talks
The spokesman said this remained the core objective, and that the multi-party process was the best mechanism for achieving that. Highlighting the urgency of restarting talks, a South Korean source said the North appeared to be in the final stages of restoring the nuclear programme at Yongbyon that it had shut down before abandoning the six-party process.
North Korea pulled out of the Chinese-hosted six-party talks earlier this year.
Advertisement
North Korea staged a spectacular event to mark 60 years of ties with China
A South Korean government source says that the North is in the final stages of restoring facilities at the Yongbyon nuclear complex.
"We have obtained indications that point to restoration work being in the final stages," Reuters news agency quoted the source as saying."We have obtained indications that point to restoration work being in the final stages," Reuters news agency quoted the source as saying.
"The work to restore nuclear facilities at Yongbyon has been ongoing since early this year.""The work to restore nuclear facilities at Yongbyon has been ongoing since early this year."
'Vital consensus''Vital consensus'
"The hostile relations between the DPRK [North Korea] and the United States should be converted into peaceful ties through the bilateral talks without fail," KCNA quoted Mr Kim as saying. The six-party talks, which began in 2003, constitute delegates from the two Koreas, China, the US, Russia and Japan.
"We expressed our readiness to hold multilateral talks, depending on the outcome of the DPRK-US talks." The forum reached deals in 2005 and 2007, under which the North shut down its plants at Yongbyon and began disabling them in return for aid and security guarantees.
Mr Kim was quoted as saying that North Korea's "efforts to attain the goal of denuclearising the peninsula remain unchanged". NUCLEAR CRISIS Oct 2006 - North Korea conducts an underground nuclear testFeb 2007 - North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for fuel aidJune 2007 - North Korea shuts its main Yongbyon reactorJune 2008 - North Korea makes its long-awaited declaration of nuclear assetsOct 2008 - The US removes North Korea from its list of countries which sponsor terrorismDec 2008 - Pyongyang slows work to dismantle its nuclear programme after a US decision to suspend energy aidJan 2009 - The North says it is scrapping all military and political deals with the South, accusing it of "hostile intent"April 2009 - Pyongyang launches a rocket carrying what it says is a communications satellite25 May 2009 - North Korea conducts a second nuclear test5 August 2009 - Former US President Bill Clinton visits to help secure the release of two US journalists5 August 2009 - Former US President Bill Clinton visits to help secure the release of two US journalists6 October 2009 - North Korea tells China it may be willing to return to six-party nuclear talks
The move followed strong international criticism over its testing of long-range missiles. But the last talks were in December 2008, and in April this year North Korea said the negotiations were over for good, following widespread condemnation of its long-range missile launch.
Mr Wen is on the second day of a three-day trip to North Korea which China says is to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the countries. A month later, tensions rose still further when the North conducted an underground nuclear test.
NUCLEAR CRISIS Oct 2006 - North Korea conducts an underground nuclear testFeb 2007 - North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for fuel aidJune 2007 - North Korea shuts its main Yongbyon reactorJune 2008 - North Korea makes its long-awaited declaration of nuclear assetsOct 2008 - The US removes North Korea from its list of countries which sponsor terrorismDec 2008 - Pyongyang slows work to dismantle its nuclear programme after a US decision to suspend energy aidJan 2009 - The North says it is scrapping all military and political deals with the South, accusing it of "hostile intent"April 2009 - Pyongyang launches a rocket carrying what it says is a communications satellite25 May 2009 - North Korea conducts a second nuclear test In recent weeks, though, the North has shown signs of a more conciliatory approach, and on Monday Mr Kim told Mr Wen that Pyongyang was "willing to attend multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, depending on the progress in its talks with the United States," China's Xinhua news agency reported.
But regional neighbours had hoped the visit would also help restart the stalled nuclear talks. "The hostile relations between the DPRK [North Korea] and the United States should be converted into peaceful ties through the bilateral talks without fail," North Korea's state news agency KCNA quoted Mr Kim as saying.
China's state media agency, Xinhua, said Mr Wen and Mr Kim had "reached vital consensus on realising the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula". US state department spokesman Ian Kelly said the aim for Washington was to convince Pyongyang to take the path to complete denuclearisation.
He said this remained the core objective, and that the multi-party process was the best mechanism for achieving that.
"We and our six-party partners want North Korea to engage in a dialogue that leads to complete and verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula through irreversible steps," Mr Kelly said.
Gymnastics display
Advertisement
North Korea staged a spectacular event to mark 60 years of ties with China
Mr Wen has just completed a three-day trip to North Korea, to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the countries.
China is North Korea's biggest trading partner and is the country which holds the greatest sway over the secretive Pyongyang regime.
The importance of Mr Wen's visit was underlined when he was met on arrival on Sunday by Mr Kim.The importance of Mr Wen's visit was underlined when he was met on arrival on Sunday by Mr Kim.
On Sunday the two countries signed a series of co-operation deals, Chinese state media reported. Mr Kim accompanied Mr Wen to a Korean opera, where the two held "friendly talks", Xinhua said.
Mr Kim accompanied Mr Wen to a Korean opera, Xinhua said, where the two held "friendly talks". He also escorted the Chinese party to a special performance of the Arirang mass gymnastics display marking the anniversary.
Mr Wen is being accompanied on his visit by China's foreign minister. According to KCNA, performers and the audience "broke into cheers of 'Hurrah!', shaking the stadium, and fireworks were displayed to beautifully decorate the nocturnal sky".
China is North Korea's biggest trading partner and is the country which holds the greatest sway over the communist regime.
North Korea withdrew from the six party talks - which also involve China, the US, Japan, Russia and South Korea - in April, and conducted its second nuclear test in May, raising regional tensions.
But in recent weeks it has issued more conciliatory statements.