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US open to limited direct dialogue with DPRK: envoy

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-05-12 14:27

TOKYO – The United States remains open to the idea of direct dialogue with DPRK within a six-way framework, a top envoy said Tuesday.

A DPRK soldier (R) receives a pair of binoculars from another DPRK solder to look south while Belgium's Prince Philippe visits at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas in Paju, about 55 km. [Agencies]

Related readings:  DPRK not to consider dialogue with S Korea  Obama envoy warns DPRK on nuke test  US envoy for DPRK in Beijing  DPRK threatens nuclear, missile tests  US not to accept DPRK as nuclear-weapons state

Stephen Bosworth, special representative for DPRK policy, said that there was no sense of crisis regarding the six-party nuclear disarmament talks.

DPRK last month said it was quitting six-way nuclear talks and would restart a plant that separates plutonium from spent nuclear fuel rods in response to being punished by the United Nations for the April 5 launch of a long-range rocket.

Last week Pyongyang said it was useless to talk to the US administration because its "hostile policy" left it no choice but to bolster its nuclear deterrent.

Bosworth said Washington was still committed to dialogue.

"It is clearly understood the possibility of a direct dialogue between the US and DPRK (DPRK) is very much with us," Bosworth told reporters in Tokyo as he wrapped up his visits to China, South Korea and Japan.

"That of course would be done within the framework of the six-party process."

A delegation led by Bosworth has been trying to coax DPRK to return to sputtering six-way nuclear disarmament talks.

Bosworth said he confirmed the common interest in moving forward with officials from Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo. A US envoy, Sung Kim, will now travel further to Moscow, he added.

"I think everyone is relatively relaxed about where we are at this point of the process. There is not a sense of crisis," Bosworth said.

"Now we are going to proceed with patience and perseverance. We are committed to dialogue and we are obviously interested in returning to a negotiating table as soon as we can," he said.