DPRK said ready to resume nuke talks
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-14 14:34

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea could rejoin six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons programs within weeks, a U.S. congressional delegation said Friday after a trip to the state.

The United States Republican Curt Weldon (L) speaks as his colleague congressmen look on during a news conference at the headquarters of South Korea's foreign ministry in Seoul January 14, 2005. Negotiations on DPRK's nuclear programmes can and will resume in a matter of weeks rather than months, the U.S. congressman said on Friday after talks in Pyongyang with the DPRK's number two leader. [Reuters]

"Our honest impression is that the DPRK is ready to rejoin the six-party process," said Republican Rep. Curt Weldon.

Weldon, vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, led a bipartisan delegation that held talks in Pyongyang with DPRK's No. 2 leader, Kim Yong Nam, Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan, who is also DPRK's chief representative to nuclear negotiations.

The United States, DPRK and South Korea, China, Japan and Russia have struggled to arrange a new round of talks aimed at persuading the North to abandon its nuclear weapons programs. The three prior rounds, hosted by China since 2003, made no breakthroughs. The last round was held in June.

Senior U.S. congressman, Republican Curt Weldon (L) of Pennsylvania speaks with North Korea's number two leader Kim Yong-nam in Pyongyang January 14, 2005. Negotiations on North Korea's nuclear programmes can and will resume in weeks rather than months, said Weldon, vice chairman of the Houes Armed Services Committee, following talks with parliament president Kim, second-in-command to Kim Jong-il. [Reuters]

"I am convinced, as are all my colleagues, that if in fact we move along the process that we are moving today, the six-party talks can and will resume in a matter of weeks, as opposed to months or years," Weldon said.

Weldon, who spoke on behalf of his delegation, called the four-day trip an "overwhelming success." The delegation, composed of six American lawmakers, flew from Pyongyang to Seoul earlier Friday.

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