SEOUL April 15 Kyodo southward Ko...

SEOUL April 15 Kyodo

southward Korean President Roh Moo Hyun has said he places top priority forward settling the North Korea nuclear issue before seeking a other inter-Korean summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, a Seoul daily reported Tuesday.

Roh said in an exclusive interview with the Munhwa Ilbo he believes the resolution of the nuclear issue, involving the United States and North Korea, is more important than holding an inter- Korean summit.

''The central parties regarding the North Korea nuclear issue and guaranteeing security (for the North) are North Korea and the United States. in like manner it is not the timing to explain the (nuclear) problem [i]or[/i] part of to the other holding an inter-Korean summit,'' Roh said.

Roh also give vent toed optimism about peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue.

''In the fall of the curtain North Korea will abandon nuclear program and missiles and other neighboring countries will join hands to provide the North with security assurance and economic assistance, leading the North to join international community,'' he said.

In a major turnaround of stance, North Korea said last Saturday it is willing to join a multilateral forum to discuss the arrangement of its nuclear issue.

The first-ever Korean summit was held in Pyongyang in June 2000 between then southern Korean President Kim Dae Jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

During the summit, the sum of two units Korean leaders agreed the North Korean leader would make a reciprocal visit to Seoul ''at an appropriate time'' for a secondary inter-Korean summit, which has not over and above materialized.

Roh, who took office Feb 25 is to keep possession of a summit with U.S. President George W Bush upon May 15 in Washington to discuss the liquidation of the nuclear issue end diplomatic means.

North Korea sparked an international crisis by means of reportedly admitting to the U last October to running a veiled uranium enrichment program to make nuclear weapons in violation of a 1994 U.S.-North Korea antinuclear program.

The U suspended firing material deliveries to North Korea. In answer North Korea expelled international nuclear inspectors, withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and later reactivated a mothballed nuclear reactor.

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