Rice Sunday concluded her S.Korean tour and reaffirmed that Washington and Seoul are to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through "diplomatic and peaceful means within the framework of the six-party talks." (Photo: Yahoo)

    by Wang Mian     

    SEOUL, March 20 (Xinhuanet) -- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Sunday concluded her South Korean tour and reaffirmed that Washington and Seoul are to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through "diplomatic and peaceful means within the framework of the six-party talks."

    Rice flied to Seoul late Saturday from Tokyo. Before Rice arriving in Seoul, local media analyzed that Rice's South Korea visit was aimed at finding breakthrough for the stalled process ofaddressing the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.     

¡¡¡¡DPRK URGED TO REJOIN SIX-PARTY TALKS

    In the beginning of a joint press conference with Rice, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said the two sides "urged North Korea (DPRK) to return to six-party talks without delay."

    Both the South Korean foreign minister and Rice reaffirmed thatthe US and South Korea are to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through "diplomatic and peaceful means within theframework of the six-party talks."

    "All the concerns and interests the DPRK expressed can be negotiated in the six-party talks," Ban said.

    The South Korean top diplomat also said what's more important than resuming the talks itself is making progress toward resolvingthe long-standing nuclear row.

    The six-party nuclear talks have been stalled since last September. Pyongyang claimed on Feb. 10 this year for the first time publicly that it has nuclear bombs and said it will suspend the six-party nuclear talks "indefinitely" due to the United States's hostile policy towards Pyongyang.

    Three rounds of six-party talks have been held in Beijing amongChina, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, Russia, South Korea and Japan. The talks are aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

    Since the suspension of the talks, concerning parties have renewed diplomatic efforts to reactivate the six-party talks. Rice's Asian tour was seen as part of the efforts, local media said.

    Earlier Sunday, Rice paid a courtesy call on South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, and held discussions with the country's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young and Foreign Minister Ban.

    All these discussions were focused on how to resume the stalledsix-party nuclear talks.     

    US-DPRK TALKS POSSIBLE WITHIN SIX-PARTY TALKS

    Rice echoed Ban's remarks, confirming various forms of dialogues including the US-DPRK direct talks, can be held "within the six-party framework" to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

    But Rice said any direct dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang is impossible outside the multilateral form, because thenuclear issue is not a bilateral issue between the US and the DPRK,but a regional one.

    Earlier, the DPRK called on a one-on-one talk with the US on the nuclear issue, but the latter rejected it.

    In the press conference, Rice also noted the importance of six-party talks, saying they are the "best way" for Pyongyang to win "respect" it desires and "assistance" it needs.

    "If North Korea is prepared to make strategic choice, we have said within the context of six-party talks that there could be security assurances for North Korea," Rice said.

    The US secretary of state also expressed her will to resolve the nuclear issue, saying "It (nuclear issue) cannot go on forever."     

    US HAS NO PLAN TO ATTACK DPRK

    Before meeting with South Korean officials, Rice was interviewed by a group of local internet outlets' correspondents. During the interview Rice reiterated that the "US absolutely has no desire to attack North Korea."

    "We understand that North Korea is a sovereign state ... North Korea does not need to worry the United States intends to attack it," Rice added.

    South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban told reporters that he welcomed Rice's remarks that called the DPRK a "sovereign state."

    "I see them as good in creating an atmosphere for resuming the six-party talks," Ban said.

    Rice also outlined a rough approach to resolve the nuclear issue in the interview.

    She said, firstly, the DPRK should make a "strategic choice" togive up nuclear program.

    "Secondly, the US, through six-party talks, put forward a proposal that talked about a security assurances, that talked about being willing to look into and try to address North Korea's energy needs. So, that is also a proposal that is on the table if North Korea is prepared to make a strategic choice," she said.

    Seoul is the fifth leg of Rice's six-nation Asian tour which already had taken her to India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Japan. Later Sunday she will visit China. Enditem