N. Korea reaffirms call for peace talks, end to sanctions

SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Monday that it will not return to
international nuclear talks unless a "hat of sanctions" against it is removed,
while reaffirming its call for talks to formally end the Korean War.

The statement by an unidentified Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Pyongyang has
"no reason to delay" its return to the six-nation talks, but argued they would
collapse without separate negotiations on ways to forge a peace treaty to close
the 1950-53 war.
North Korea has long demanded that a peace treaty be signed to remove what it
claims is the source of U.S. hostilities against it.
(END)