North Korea on Thursday expressed willingness to settle the
nuclear issue during the forthcoming six-party
talks.??
This will occur only if the US respects North Korea and its
system and Washington is willing to build up confidence with the
North by normalizing bilateral relations and maintaining peaceful
coexistence with North Korea on a legal basis, a spokesperson for
the North Korean Foreign Ministry said before the six-party
talks.
"Not a single nuclear weapon will be needed for us if the US
nuclear threat is removed and its hostile policy of 'bringing down
North Korea's system' is withdrawn," the spokesperson added.
"It is important that the US changes its hostile policy toward
North Korea and has the willingness to coexist with the North," the
spokesperson said.
The US should respect North Korea's sovereignty and normalize
political and economic relations with it, by delabelling North
Korea as "a supporter of terrorism," lifting sanctions against it,
and offering a "definite assurance" of non-aggression against it,
the spokesperson stressed.
He also demanded the US not to disturb North Korea's economic
cooperation with other countries.
The spokesperson stressed that it's North Korea's persistent
attitude to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula
through dialogue and consultation.
It is essential for the relevant parties to hold in-depth
discussion on the ways and methods to reach that goal during the
coming talks, the spokesperson said.
He also thanked China for its efforts to resume the talks.
(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2005)