Seoul, Aug 31: North Korea today again demanded a non-aggression treaty with the United States, saying that the standoff over its suspected nuclear weapons programs can never be resolved without it. "The nuclear issue can be completely resolved only when the United States takes resolute steps to switchover its hostile policy against (North Korea) and sign a non-aggression treaty'' with North Korea, said the north's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper in a commentary carried by a news agency.

The commentary, which was monitored by South Korea's news agency, warned that the nuclear issue "can never be resolved'' if the United States failed to offer such a pact.


Washington insists that North Korea scrap its nuclear program, but the isolated communist nation says the United States must first provide security and aid guarantees.
The commentary came after North Korea angrily dismissed on Saturday the need for further discussions to end the nuclear standoff, despite last week's talks to discuss the dispute.

The United States, Russia, China, Japan and the two Koreas had gathered for three days of discussions in an effort to ease hostilities over North Korea's nuclear ambitions.
Bureau Report