North Korean envoy says ready to resume nuclear talks

SEOUL, Nov 28 (Reuters) North Korea is ready to return to talks on ending its nuclear weapons programme but still had difficult issues to iron out with the United States, Pyongyang's top envoy said today.

''Because we have completed defensive steps by nuclear testing, we can go to the six-party talks no matter when they are,'' Kim Kye-gwan told reporters upon arriving in Beijing, Yonhap news reported.

''We have many issues in dispute (with the United States). We have to narrow them to some extent,'' Kim said. Envoys from the other countries in the nuclear talks are also in Beijing to work out details for resuming the discussions.

REUTERS DH PM0806