Pyongyang Ready to Negotiate Nuclear Security with U.S. Provided that Washington Gives Up Hostile Policy Against North Korea

North Korea is ready to negotiate nuclear security with the United States provided that Washington gives up its hostile policy against North Korea, Kim Yong-nam, the President of the Supreme People's Assembly presidium and the formal North Korean leader, was quoted as saying on Monday at negotiations in Pyongyang.

According to the South Korean mass media, at the meeting with Kim Yong-nam, South Korean Minister for Unification Chang Se-hyon voiced the concern of the South Korean government over the fact that North Korea had resumed its nuclear programme. He demanded that Pyongyang clear up the situation holding out some hope that the problem would be resolved peacefully.

The high-ranking North Korean official stated in his turn that Pyongyang was ready to settle the crisis if the United States was willing to give up its hostile approach to North Korea. Kim Yong-nam is usually considered "the second man" in North Korea after this country's leader Kim Jong-il.

According to the South Korean delegation, participants in the Pyongyang talks agreed that no matter how the situation develops, the nuclear security issue raised by the United States should be resolved by means of talks.