The United States on Tuesday ruled out lifting sanctions against
the North Korea as a condition for resuming six-party talks on the
Korean nuclear issue.
"It is not a subject to negotiation," White House spokesman
Scott McClellan said, claiming the sanctions are "protecting our
national interest and combating their illicit activities."
The North Korea on Tuesday urged the United States to lift its
sanctions in order to allow the resumption of the stalled six-party
talks.
"The United States should, first of all, lift its sanctions
against the North Korea, the main factor in scuttling the talks,
before suggesting their resumption. The prospect of their
continuing entirely depends on the US behavior," the leading
newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in a commentary.
Before the fifth round of the six-party talks in November 2005,
the United States froze eight North Korean enterprises' assets on
its soil, accusing them of " proliferating weapons of mass
destruction" and "illegal dealing".
(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2006)
