Beijing – North Korea agreed today to rejoin six-nation
nuclear disarmament talks in a surprise diplomatic breakthrough three weeks after the
communist regime conducted its first known atomic test, the Chinese government said.
A U.S. envoy said the talks could resume as early as November if all six parties can
agree on a date. But Japan said it cannot accept North Korea s return to the talks
unless the regime first renounces its nuclear weapons.
While Japan welcomed the prospect of a new round of talks, it does not intend to
accept North Korea s return to the talks on the premise that it possess nuclear
weapons, public broadcaster NHK quoted Foreign Minister Taro Aso as saying.
A resumption of talks is conditional on North Korea not possessing nuclear weapons,
Aso was quoted as saying.
