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US official urges North Korea to return to talks without conditions
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-05 14:20
The top U.S. envoy in Seoul urged North Korea on Wednesday to stop attaching
conditions to resuming talks on its nuclear program, a day after the communist
state renewed its demand that Washington lift sanctions against it.
"The United States is ready to return to the table without attaching any new
conditions and we expect North Korea to do the same," Ambassador Alexander
Vershbow said at a forum in Seoul, according to the text of his speech provided
by the U.S. Embassy.
International talks to get North Korea to dismantle its nuclear program have
been in recess since November, but the prospect of their resumption has become
increasingly unclear as the country disputes U.S. sanctions against its
alleged currency counterfeiting and other illicit activities.
On Tuesday, the North said it's "impossible" for it to return to the
negotiating table as long as Washington keeps the sanctions.
"The U.S. sanctions are obviously the fundamental element that disrupts the
six-party talks," said the Rodong Sinmun, the North's ruling Workers Party
newspaper, referring to the nuclear talks that involve the two Koreas, the U.S.,
China, Japan and Russia.
Vershbow urged North Korea to honor its commitment to disarm, saying it will
be in violation of international agreements.
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