North Korea offers US nuclear deal

North Korea today said it is willing to abandon nuclear development as soon as the United States discontinues what it called a hostile policy and eliminates “threats” against the communist country, according to South Korean news agency reported.

The vaguely worded remarks by an unnamed spokesman for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry were carried by the communist state’s official KCNA news agency, and were monitored by Seoul’s Yonhap news agency.

“North Korea is willing to realistically abandon nuclear development at the phase when the US hostile policy toward North Korea is removed and threats against North Korea is eliminated,” the North Korean spokesman was quoted as saying.

The spokesman said a resolution of the stand-off over North Korea’s nuclear weapons programmes depended on whether the United States is willing to accept its demand for “simultaneous actions”.

North Korea has demanded that Washington give assurances that it will not attack the North, will provide economic and humanitarian aid, and open diplomatic ties.

In exchange, North Korea would allow nuclear inspections, give up missile exports and dismantle its nuclear weapons facilities.

North Korea’s comments came hours ahead of the arrival in South Korea of US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who is expected to discuss security issues, including Iraq and North Korea.

North Korea has accused Washington of planning a pre-emptive attack against it after President Bush labelled the communist country part of an “axis of evil” along with Iran and Iraq.

The North has been insisting for months that the United States sign a non-aggression treaty, which Washington has rejected.