North Korea invites US nuclear envoy to Pyongyang

SEOUL, June 1: North Korea invited today the chief US envoy to stalled nuclear talks to Pyongyang, if Washington proves it is committed to an agreement that offers the North concessions for abandoning its nuclear programme.

Christopher Hill, the chief US envoy to nuclear talks among the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, has said he is willing to meet directly with North Korea within the context of the six-party nuclear forum.

It was not immediately clear if that ruled out a solo visit to Pyongyang.

North Korea has refused to return to the talks since the last round in November because of a US crackdown on firms suspected of aiding Pyongyang in illicit financial activities.

''We invite the U.S. chief delegate to the six-party talks to Pyongyang if the U.S. has made the political decision to implement truthfully the joint statement and give us its explanation,'' North Korea's official KCNA news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.

The report in Korean was carried on the South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

In September 2005, the six countries reached a joint statement in which North Korea pledged to scrap its nuclear weapons programmes in exchange for aid, security assurances and greater diplomatic recognition.

North Korea has long sought two-way talks with the United States outside the six-party process.

The unnamed North Korean spokesman said Washington will never be able to shake the North with the financial crackdown, because it is armed and ready with its ''military-first'' policy.

''We will be sure to settle the money that the US has taken from us,'' the spokesman said.

It will be forced to take ''extremely strong measures'' against the United States if Washington stepped up its pressure, the spokesman said.

REUTERS

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