S.Korea's ex-leader urges North, US to cooperate

SEOUL, May 23 (Reuters) Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung urged North Korea and the United States today to adopt a give-and-take attitude and return to six-way talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programmes.

The talks have been deadlocked due to Pyongyang's refusal to return to the table unless Washington ends a crackdown on firms suspected of aiding the North in illicit financial activities.

''North Korea must completely give up its nuclear weapons programme, and in return, the United States must guarantee North Korea's safety and lift economic sanctions. Such a give-and-take deal must be carried out simultaneously,'' Kim said.

Kim went to Pyongyang in 2000 for an unprecedented meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, paving the way for closer ties between the two Koreas. The former South Korean president won the Nobel Peace prize for the summit diplomacy.

He is scheduled to make a return trip to the North late next month and is expected to meet the North Korean leader again.

''We will be talking about how we can promote cooperation with the regional powers and above all, how we can unify the Korean people,'' Kim said, adding he also hoped it would help break the deadlock in the six-party talks.

There can be no lasting peace on the Korean peninsula unless North Korea and the United States make a fundamental pledge to resolve their long-lasting animosity, he said.

''For peace on the peninsula and for the unification of South and North Korea, we need the absolute cooperation of the U.S.,'' he said.

South and North Korea, the United States, Japan, Russia and host China reached a tentative agreement in September that would have given the North economic aid and improved ties with regional powers in return for dismantling its nuclear programmes.

But no progress has been made to implement that deal, and no talks have been held since the last round in November in Beijing.

The chief North Korean envoy to the talks, Kim Kye-gwan, said last month he would not return to the talks until Washington dissolves a freeze on Pyongyang's assets at a Macau bank.

Christopher Hill, the top U.S. negotiator, kept up criticism of the North Korean position on Tuesday.

''For them to hold up nuclear talks over some issues relating to bank accounts in Macau, one has to wonder what is their level of commitment to fulfilling the September agreement,'' he told reporters in Bangkok, where he was attending a meeting with Southeast Asian diplomats.

''We're prepared to go back to the six-party talks. I would be prepared to go today. My other colleagues are prepared to go back.'' REUTERS CH VA VV1140