U.S. urges DPRK to return to six-party talks

The United States urged on Thursday the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to return to the six-party talks first as it is open to discussions with the DPRK on a peace treaty.

"The approach with North Korea has always been the same, which is, when North Korea comes back and participates in the six-party talks, then we can proceed," White House spokesman Tony Snow said at a briefing.

"Nothing happens until North Korea goes back and participates in the six-party talks. Dealing with the possibility of developing nuclear weapons, and to talk about any further steps is premature, " Snow said.

Snow made the remarks after a report by the New York Times on Thursday saying that U.S. President George W. Bush's top advisers have recommended a broad new approach to dealing with the DPRK that would include beginning negotiations on a peace treaty.

However, Bush will not do so unless the DPRK returns to multinational negotiations over its nuclear program, the report said, citing Bush's aides.

The DPRK has long demanded a peace treaty which would replace the 1953 armistice ending the Korean War.

The report said that if Bush allows talks about a peace treaty to take place on a parallel track with the six-nation talks on disarmament, it will signal another major change of tactics on the DPRK, as the Bush administration has already softened its stance on the DPRK.

The United States has urged the DPRK to return to the six- nation talks stalled since September last year. However, the DPRK has said it will not return to the talks if the United States does not lift the sanctions imposed on the country last year.

Source: Xinhua