Hopes rise of new talks over nuclear stand-off

A US State Department envoy said today that a fresh round of talks on North Korea’s nuclear stand-off could open as early as this month.

Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, who arrived in Seoul today, said he was “mildly optimistic” about the prospects of six-nation talks.

We “may be able to have another round of six-party talks before very long. Perhaps even this month of February,” Kelly told reporters upon arrival.

For months, the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea have been trying to restart talks on persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programmes. A first round ended in August in Beijing without much progress.

South Korean officials have also expressed hope for further talks this month.

Kelly will meet Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon and Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck before leaving for Japan tomorrow.

North Korea has insisted it needs nuclear weapons as a deterrent against a possible US attack. But it says it will suspend its nuclear programmes as a first step in talks if Washington lifts sanctions against the North, resumes oil shipments, and removes North Korea from its list of countries that sponsor terrorism.

The United States has responded that North Korea must first verifiably begin dismantling its nuclear programmes before receiving any concessions.

The nuclear dispute flared in October 2002 when US officials accused North Korea of running the uranium program in violation of a 1994 deal requiring the North to freeze its nuclear facilities. But North Korea has since denied ever having a uranium programme.