Chief negotiator Kim Kye-gwan of North Korean said in Beijing on Sunday that the United States must change its position on requiring his country to abandon all its nuclear programs.

It's the key to the success of the next-stage six-party talks, Kim said at a press conference in the North Korea embassy in Beijing after the six parties agreed to have a three-week recess on the 13th day of negotiation.

The first stage of the fourth round of the six-party talks laid a foundation for progress in the next stage, and delegates reached a consensus on the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and reaffirmed the principle of "word for word, action for action", Kim said.

The six parties, which also include China, South Korea, Russia and Japan, exchanged views on some "questions of principle" in a "sincere, frank and friendly" atmosphere though they failed to yield an agreement, Kim said.

He attributed the failure to issue a common document mainly to the "major differences" between North Korea and the United States on the definition of denuclearization.

North Korea does not want to give up its right to peaceful use of nuclear energy while the United States "attempted to keep North Korea from the right," he said.

The denuclearization can not be realized by North Korea alone, and the United States and South Korea should also take actions, said Kim, also vice foreign minister of North Korea.

He added his country is ready for more bilateral contacts and hoped the United States could change its position on requiring North Korea to abandon all its nuclear programs, including peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Kim said it's very important for the United States to remove its nuclear threat against North Korea, which has prompted North Korea to development nuclear weapons.

He urged the United States to dismantle the nuclear weapons in South Korea and agree to receive verification.

According to him, his delegation had a one-on-one meeting with the Japanese delegation Sunday morning. They discussed issues related to the fourth round of the six-party talks and the concerns of the Japanese side.

(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2005)