South Korea pressed North Korea Friday to discuss its nuclear weapons program, a day after the two nations agreed to hold high-level military dialogue to ease months of tensions.
Analysts were cautious about prospects for negotiations, which would be the first since the North sparked outrage in the South with a deadly bombardment of a border island last November.
Washington welcomed Thursday's agreement on the military talks, which came a day after U.S. and Chinese leaders called in a summit statement for "sincere and constructive dialogue" between the two Koreas. "That is an important step forward. I think some of that comes as a result of yesterday's meeting here... clearly a positive step," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
The North had proposed the military talks. Its official news agency confirmed it is willing to discuss two deadly border incidents that the South blames on its neighbor. Cross-border relations have been sour since a conservative government in Seoul linked major aid to the North's nuclear disarmament.
They worsened sharply last May when the South accused the North of torpedoing a warship with the loss of 46 lives, a charge Pyongyang denies. Tensions rose even higher after the North bombarded Yeonpyeong island near the disputed border, killing four people including civilians.
The North said the attack was in response to an artillery drill by the South which dropped shells into what Pyongyang claims as its waters. In an abrupt change of tack, Pyongyang this year has repeatedly called for talks.
Seoul's unification ministry stuck to its terms for dialogue - that the North accept responsibility for the two attacks, promise no repetition and show sincerity about nuclear disarmament.
Spokesman Chun Hae-Sung said Pyongyang, in addition to the military dialogue, should hold separate high-level nuclear talks with the South. The North has previously baulked at talking about its nuclear program with the South, saying it was designed to deter U.S. attacks and should be discussed with Washington.
The two Koreas are members of stalled six-nation nuclear disarmament talks also grouping China, Russia, the United States and Japan.
Analysts were cautious about prospects for negotiations, which would be the first since the North sparked outrage in the South with a deadly bombardment of a border island last November.
Washington welcomed Thursday's agreement on the military talks, which came a day after U.S. and Chinese leaders called in a summit statement for "sincere and constructive dialogue" between the two Koreas. "That is an important step forward. I think some of that comes as a result of yesterday's meeting here... clearly a positive step," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
The North had proposed the military talks. Its official news agency confirmed it is willing to discuss two deadly border incidents that the South blames on its neighbor. Cross-border relations have been sour since a conservative government in Seoul linked major aid to the North's nuclear disarmament.
They worsened sharply last May when the South accused the North of torpedoing a warship with the loss of 46 lives, a charge Pyongyang denies. Tensions rose even higher after the North bombarded Yeonpyeong island near the disputed border, killing four people including civilians.
The North said the attack was in response to an artillery drill by the South which dropped shells into what Pyongyang claims as its waters. In an abrupt change of tack, Pyongyang this year has repeatedly called for talks.
Seoul's unification ministry stuck to its terms for dialogue - that the North accept responsibility for the two attacks, promise no repetition and show sincerity about nuclear disarmament.
Spokesman Chun Hae-Sung said Pyongyang, in addition to the military dialogue, should hold separate high-level nuclear talks with the South. The North has previously baulked at talking about its nuclear program with the South, saying it was designed to deter U.S. attacks and should be discussed with Washington.
The two Koreas are members of stalled six-nation nuclear disarmament talks also grouping China, Russia, the United States and Japan.
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