NORTH KOREA INVITED ON THURSDAY THE CHIEF U.S. ENVOY TO STALLED NUCLEAR TALKS TO PYONGYANG, IF WASHINGTON PROVES IT IS COMMITTED TO AN AGREEMENT THAT OFFERS THE NORTH CONCESSIONS FOR ABANDONING ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAMME, REUTERS REPORTED. CHRISTOPHER HILL, THE CHIEF U.S. ENVOY TO NUCLEAR TALKS AMONG THE TWO KOREAS, CHINA, JAPAN, RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES, HAS SAID HE IS WILLING TO MEET DIRECTLY WITH NORTH KOREA WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE SIX-PARTY NUCLEAR FORUM. BUT HILL HAS ALSO PREVIOUSLY INDICATED A DESIRE TO MEET THE NORTH'S LEADER KIM JONG-IL AND HAS NOT RULED OUT A TRIP TO NORTH KOREA. THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION HAS SENT AN ENVOY TO PYONGYANG BEFORE. NORTH KOREA HAS REFUSED TO RETURN TO THE TALKS SINCE THE LAST ROUND IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE OF A U.S. CRACKDOWN ON FIRMS SUSPECTED OF AIDING PYONGYANG IN ILLICIT FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES. "WE INVITE THE U.S. CHIEF DELEGATE TO THE SIX-PARTY TALKS TO PYONGYANG IF THE U.S. HAS MADE THE POLITICAL DECISION TO IMPLEMENT TRUTHFULLY THE JOINT STATEMENT AND GIVE US ITS EXPLANATION," NORTH KOREA'S OFFICIAL KCNA NEWS AGENCY QUOTED A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN AS SAYING. "THE SOLUTION TO AN IMPORTANT ISSUE SUCH AS THE NUCLEAR PROBLEM WILL BE ELUSIVE IF RELATED PARTIES ARE RELUCTANT TO SIT DOWN WITH EACH OTHER," THE SPOKESMAN SAID IN THE REPORT IN KOREAN CARRIED ON SOUTH KOREA'S YONHAP NEWS AGENCY. IN SEPTEMBER 2005, THE SIX COUNTRIES REACHED A JOINT STATEMENT IN WHICH NORTH KOREA PLEDGED TO SCRAP ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMMES IN EXCHANGE FOR AID, SECURITY ASSURANCES AND GREATER DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION.
