Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency carried a statement from the North Korean Foreign Ministry Monday linking a resumption of nuclear talks with an improvement in relations with the United States.
北韩官方的朝中社星期一发布了北韩外交部的声明。声明把北韩重返六方会谈与改善同美国的关系挂钩。
Monday's statement describes it as "essential to conclude a peace treaty for terminating the state of war, a root cause of the hostile relations between the two countries."
这份声明把这一条件称为“最后签署结束战争状态的和平条约之根本，而这也正是造成两国间敌对关系的根本原因”。
The United States defended South Korea after the North invaded in 1950, and currently maintains about 28,000 forces here to deter or defeat any repeat incursion. A 1953 armistice paused the Korean War, but no permanent peace has ever been concluded.
The North Korean statement calls for an end to international economic sanctions, saying that "may soon lead to the opening of the six-party talks" aimed at getting rid of North Korea's nuclear weapons.
北韩的声明呼吁结束国际上对它实行的经济制裁，并说制裁的结束可能很快导致重启六方会谈。
The United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on the North in October 2006 and last June, after each of the North's two nuclear weapons tests.
联合国安理会在北韩分别进行了两次核试验后于2006年10月和去年6月对北韩实施了制裁。
Cho Young-tae is a researcher with the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification.
韩国国家统一研究所研究员曹永泰说：
He says Monday's announcement reflects the fact that peace treaty negotiations are a core issue between North Korea and the United States. Pyongyang is hoping, says Cho, to set the agenda for what will be discussed at the next round of six nation talks.
“星期一的北韩声明显示，和平条约的谈判是北韩和美国之间的核心问题。北韩希望为下一轮六方会谈设定议程。”
China, Russia, Japan, the United States and South Korea have been attempting to persuade North Korea for nearly seven years to abandon nuclear weapons in exchange for financial, energy, and diplomatic incentives.
中国、俄罗斯、日本、美国和韩国将近七年来一直努力说服北韩放弃核武器项目，以换取金融、能源和外交上的好处。
A September 2005 agreement North Korea signed with the five nations in September 2005 lays out a framework for gradual moves toward a peace agreement, in tandem with disarmament.
北韩2005年与这五个国家签署的协议制定了随着北韩废止核武项目逐渐朝签署和平协议发展的框架。
President Barack Obama, like his predecessor George W. Bush, maintains no peace treaty is possible while North Korea continues to possess nuclear weapons.
美国总统奥巴马采取了与他的前任布什总统相同的立场，表示在北韩继续拥有核武器的情况下决不可能与其签署和平条约。 |