美朝下週討論朝鮮核問題

U.S. and North Korean diplomats are set to meet next week in Geneva to discuss North Korea's controversial nuclear program. Pyongyang wants full six-party talks to resume. But South Korea says the North must first clearly indicate it intends to abandon its nuclear program.

Speaking at an East Asia Institute conference in Seoul, South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said Pyongyang must abide by previous promises to denuclearize before any new round of six-party talks can resume.

"Seoul and Washington will keep urging North Korea to demonstrate through specific actions that it has true intentions to abandon its nuclear programs."

The six-way talks include both Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia. China has been pushing for their quick resumption. But the U.S., South Korea and Japan have been more cautious, saying North Korea must first implement actions it agreed to take in previous negotiations.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il told Russia's Itar-Tass news agency last week six-way talks should resume without preconditions. He also reaffirmed his commitment six years ago to gradually reduce North Korea's nuclear programs in exchange for massive aid, enhanced diplomatic relations and security guarantees.美國和朝鮮外交官下星期將在日內瓦舉行會晤，討論朝鮮被受爭議的核項目。朝鮮目前希望恢復六方會談，但是韓國方面表示，朝鮮必須首先明確表明將放棄其核武器項目。

韓國外交通商部長官金星煥在首爾的一次研討會上說，在新一輪六方會談之前，平壤必須首先信守以前放棄核武器項目的承諾。他說，“首爾和華盛頓將繼續敦促朝鮮通過具體的行動來表明他們是真正要放棄核武器項目。”

參加六方會談的國家除了朝鮮和韓國以外還包括美國、中國、日本和俄羅斯。中國一直主張儘快恢復這一旨在使朝鮮放棄核武器項目的談判。

但是，美國、韓國和日本則更加謹慎。他們指出，朝鮮必須首先把在以前談判中的承諾落實爲實際行動。

朝鮮領導人金正日上星期在接受俄羅斯塔斯社採訪時說，六方會談應在不設先決條件的情況下重新啓動。