North Korea confirmed on Wednesday it has decided to return to the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.
A North Korean TV news broadcaster read out the decision from the country's Foreign Ministry.
 "North Korea has decided to return to the six-party talks on the premise that the issue of lifting financial sanctions will be discussed and settled between the DPRK and the US within the framework of the six-party talks."
At the invitation of China, heads of delegations to the six-party talks from China, North Korea and the United States held an informal meeting in Beijing on Tuesday, resulting in a unanimous agreement to resume the six party talks.
Meanwhile, top US nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill says that the negotiations should start as early as possible.
"I'm very confident that we'll have a date to get the talks going. It's obviously going to be very difficult. I think that we have a long way to go. Certainly the DPRK delegation was very ready to get the talks going, and I think we just have to find a date that's acceptable to all."
The talks are expected to start later this month or in December, but Hill says the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, set to be held in Vietnam November 18th to 19th, would have to be taken into account when setting a date.
Hill also cautions that a full plan has to be in place to implement the agreement reached in September 2005, in which North Korea pledged to abandon its nuclear program.
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Director: Liu Chi