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N Korea 'ready' for nuclear talks N Korea urges US nuclear talks
(about 2 hours later)
North Korea's Foreign Ministry has said the country is ready to return to stalled six-party negotiations about its nuclear programme. North Korea has said it is ready for direct talks with the US on rolling back its nuclear programme but will "go its own way" if Washington refuses.
It has also repeated its call for direct talks with its avowed enemy the United States. North Korea's foreign ministry said wider talks including North Korea's neighbours were possible depending on any direct negotiations with the US.
Last month, leader Kim Jong-il said he might consider a return to the nuclear talks he had previously declared dead - after direct talks with Washington. Pyongyang pulled out of the long-running six-party nuclear disarmament talks earlier this year.
The latest comments offer the strongest hint yet that dialogue could resume. In May, the North conducted an underground nuclear test.
The statement called on the United States to make the next move. Strong hint
Rational move
"The conclusion we have reached is that the direct parties, which are the North and the United States, must first sit down and find a rational solution," the foreign ministry spokesman said in comments reported by the official KCNA news agency."The conclusion we have reached is that the direct parties, which are the North and the United States, must first sit down and find a rational solution," the foreign ministry spokesman said in comments reported by the official KCNA news agency.
NORTH KOREA 2009 TESTS 12 Oct - Five short-range missiles fired4 July - Seven suspected ballistic missiles fired 2 July - Four short-range cruise missiles launched 25 May - Second underground nuclear test brings new UN sanctions25/26 May - Series of short-range rockets fired 5 April - N Korea says long-range rocket was satellite launch North Korea's missile programme What is North Korea's game plan?
"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," the spokesman said."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," the spokesman said.
"If the US is not ready to sit at a negotiating table with the [North], it will go its own way."
The latest comments offer the strongest hint yet that dialogue could resume.
Last month, leader Kim Jong-il said he might consider a return to the nuclear talks he had previously declared dead - after direct talks with Washington.
But the state department says it has not yet decided whether to accept Pyongyang's invitation for a visit by the US special envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth.But the state department says it has not yet decided whether to accept Pyongyang's invitation for a visit by the US special envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth.
In its latest comments, North Korea said it would "go our own way" if Washington refuses dialogue.
The North in early October expressed willingness to return to the six-party nuclear disarmament negotiations it quit in April, but only after it talks directly to the United States to improve "hostile relations".
EnvoyEnvoy
North Korea's second-ranking nuclear envoy, Ri Gun, just spent a week in the US and met US academics and former officials. The foreign ministry statement came as North Korea's second-ranking nuclear envoy, Ri Gun, ended a rare visit to the US meeting academics and former officials.
These US contacts said after these meetings that the North appeared to be more open to resuming the six-way talks on its nuclear programme. The US contacts said after these meetings that the North appeared to be more open to resuming the six-way talks on its nuclear programme.
Ri Gun held talks in New York with Sung Kim, the US special envoy on the North's nuclear disarmament. They also met later on the sidelines of a California forum. Mr Ri held talks in New York with Sung Kim, the US special envoy on the North's nuclear disarmament. They also met later on the sidelines of a California forum.
When asked about Mr Ri's visit to the US, the North Korean foreign ministry spokesman appeared to downplay its importance. In 2007, North Korea agreed to disable its nuclear facilities, as a first step towards their dismantlement, in exchange for fuel aid and political concessions.
NORTH KOREA 2009 TESTS 4 July - Seven suspected ballistic missiles fired2 July - four short-range cruise missiles launched25 May - second underground nuclear test brings new UN sanctions25/26 May - series of short-range rockets fired5 April - N Korea says long-range rocket was satellite launch class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/2564241.stm">North Korea's missile programme class="" href="/2/hi/asia-pacific/8068567.stm">What is North Korea's game plan? But after receiving much of the aid, the North abandoned the process earlier this year and conducted a second nuclear test.
"This contact was not a preliminary meeting for the DPRK (North Korea)-US talks, and thus there were no substantive discussions related to the DPRK-US talks," the spokesman said. This was followed by warnings that it was weaponising its plutonium stocks and had begun to enrich uranium - which would provide a second way to build nuclear weapons.
He said if the two countries "end the hostile relationship and build trust, there will be a meaningful step towards the denuclearising of the Korean peninsula." May's nuclear test prompted a round of UN sanctions, which some analysts say has prompted Pyongyang's recent move to return to the negotiating table.
The spokesman added: "If the United States is not ready to sit down face-to-face with us for talks, we cannot but go on our own way." North Korea has long demanded direct talks with the US, saying they were the only way to end resolve the nuclear stand-off.
Analysts have noted several signs of easing of the tensions between North Korea and its neighbours. The North's foreign ministry spokesman said if the two countries "end the hostile relationship and build trust, there will be a meaningful step towards the denuclearising of the Korean peninsula".
It has recently allowed family reunions from South Korea, and held talks with senior Chinese officials. But he added: "If the United States is not ready to sit down face-to-face with us for talks, we cannot but go on our own way."
Some analysts believe the North is becoming more ready to resume talks because tough UN sanctions may be having an impact on the impoverished country, with food supplies low ahead of winter.
The sanctions were imposed after North Korea resumed nuclear testing and held several missile launches earlier this year.