U.S.-DPRK talks likely ahead of six-party negotiations: S. Korean official

SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United States indicated the possibility of holding bilateral talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the purpose of pushing forward the six-party talks, a senior South Korean official told South Korea's Yonhap News Agency Wednesday.

Although there is still no decision on how the U.S.-DPRK talks would be carried out, the five parties involved in the international nuclear disarmament forum -- the United States, Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea -- have reached an understanding that Washington can talk bilaterally with Pyongyang ahead of the six-party negotiations if it is helpful to restarting the six-party process, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Observers believed it means there are some changes in Washington's position on this issue. The DPRK has been demanding direct negotiations with the United States, but Washington insisted that it can engage Pyongyang only after it returns to the six-party talks.

Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for DPRK policy, who visited Seoul last week as part of his three-nation Asia tour on the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula, has exchanged views on this issue with related countries, the official said.

It is still not clear that when the U.S. envoy would visit Pyongyang, but "there is a chance that Washington will make a decision in the next few weeks," the official added.