News Story Wrote:North Korea has said it is ready for direct talks with the US on rolling back its nuclear programme but will "go its own way" if Washington refuses.
North Korea's foreign ministry said wider talks including North Korea's neighbours were possible depending on any direct negotiations with the US.
Pyongyang pulled out of the long-running six-party nuclear disarmament talks earlier this year.
In May, the North conducted an underground nuclear test.
Strong hint
"The conclusion we have reached is that the direct parties, which are the North and the United States, must first sit down and find a rational solution," the foreign ministry spokesman said in comments reported by the official KCNA news agency.
NORTH KOREA 2009 TESTS
12 Oct - Five short-range missiles fired
4 July - Seven suspected ballistic missiles fired
2 July - Four short-range cruise missiles launched
25 May - Second underground nuclear test brings new UN sanctions
25/26 May - Series of short-range rockets fired
5 April - N Korea says long-range rocket was satellite launch
North Korea's missile programme
What is North Korea's game plan?
"Now that we have shown the generosity of stating the position that we would be willing to talk to the United States and hold multilateral talks including the six-way talks, it is time for the United States to make a decision," the spokesman said.
"If the US is not ready to sit at a negotiating table with the [North], it will go its own way."
The latest comments offer the strongest hint yet that dialogue could resume.
Last month, leader Kim Jong-il said he might consider a return to the nuclear talks he had previously declared dead - after direct talks with Washington.
But the state department says it has not yet decided whether to accept Pyongyang's invitation for a visit by the US special envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth.
The six-party talks include the two Koreas, the US, Japan, China and Russia.
Envoy
The foreign ministry statement came as North Korea's second-ranking nuclear envoy, Ri Gun, ended a rare visit to the US meeting academics and former officials.
The US contacts said after these meetings that the North appeared to be more open to resuming the six-way talks on its nuclear programme.
Mr Ri held talks in New York with Sung Kim, the US special envoy on the North's nuclear disarmament. They also met later on the sidelines of a California forum.
In 2007, North Korea agreed to disable its nuclear facilities, as a first step towards their dismantlement, in exchange for fuel aid and political concessions.
But after receiving much of the aid, the North abandoned the process earlier this year and conducted a second nuclear test.
This was followed by warnings that it was weaponising its plutonium stocks and had begun to enrich uranium - which would provide a second way to build nuclear weapons.
May's nuclear test prompted a round of UN sanctions, which some analysts say has prompted Pyongyang's recent move to return to the negotiating table.
North Korea has long demanded direct talks with the US, saying they were the only way to end resolve the nuclear stand-off.
The North's foreign ministry spokesman said if the two countries "end the hostile relationship and build trust, there will be a meaningful step towards the denuclearising of the Korean peninsula".
But he added: "If the United States is not ready to sit down face-to-face with us for talks, we cannot but go on our own way."
ShiKage Wrote:^ Bombing the US of course. What else?
Well, have fun with that nKorea. As soon as it leaves the ground, Japan, China, South Korea, and the US will all try and shoot it down.
Then the thousands of active American nukes can get some action in....
Bye-bye nKorea.
There'd be enough maplers in the world raging to fight a war for 5 years if they did that.
But, I seriously don't think they can do anything when the majority of the world's superpowers would anti-nuke them faster then they could say lolwut. And as long as any country but CHINA negotiates with them, I think we can find peace.
Do you guys ever sit back and wonder what your life is going to be like when you're of retirement age, only to realize that you'll probably have been killed during a nuclear war before then?
Grog Wrote:Do you guys ever sit back and wonder what your life is going to be like when you're of retirement age, only to realize that you'll probably have been killed during a nuclear war before then?
Lol. That's a sad thought. Time to build those nuclear war-proof bunkers?
there will never be a nuclear war. no sane nation would want to bring about its own demise. if N.Korea lauches a nuke, there will be measures set up to disable the warhead before it can affect the globe, and by the time Kim Jong Il has blinked an eye, every nation around him, the US, and some in Europe, will descend upon his ass and burn the nation down. he will be slauthered and maimed, dragged about by the north koreans, then handed to the invading armies and finally be set free from his oppresive grip on the nation.
the fact he wants to open up dialogue with the west is a sign that he is no fool, but he is a maverick that isnt afraid to show off he can and has the potential to destroy the world at the cost of his own life. foolish, but IMO, admirable.
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Guess what time it is again!