North Korea is exerting "sincere" endeavors to narrow differences among all parties concerned and make achievement in the six-party talks, said its delegation head Kim Kye-gwan in Beijing on Tuesday.

"North Korea and the US have had long meetings over the past few years, and although disagreements remain between the tow, we hope we can narrow the differences to the minimum and achieve a result," said Kim, also vice foreign minister, in a brief speech in front of the North Korean embassy in Beijing.

"It is well known that our stance is whether we are going to give up our nuclear weapons and nuclear arms program depends on whether the US will remove its nuclear threat against North Korea and build up mutual understanding between our two sides," he said.

This is the first formal open speech the North Korean delegation has made since the current six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue opened eight days ago.

During the eight days, delegations from China, the US, Japan, Russia, North and South Korea held a series of chief negotiators' sessions, working-level meetings and active one-on-one contacts, Kim added.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2005)