Text: North Korea statement

North Korea has said it is prepared to consider US President George Bush's offer of a written security guarantee in a bid to resolve differences over its nuclear programme.

Here is the full text of a statement by a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman broadcast on the official news agency KCNA.

We have maintained the consistent stand to settle the nuclear issue on the principle of simultaneous actions after advancing a proposal for a package solution whose ultimate goal is to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The fairest way of ultimately seeking a peaceful solution to the nuclear problem is to build confidence through simultaneous actions now that the DPRK (North Korea) and the US are in the hostile relationship due to the more than half a century-long extreme mistrust and confrontation between the two sides.

The nuclear issue between the two countries will be settled simply if the DPRK's proposal for a package solution based on the principle of simultaneous actions is realized.

This stance is prompted by the expectation that the DPRK and the US can build confidence and lay a foundation of co-existence

Simple and clear is our request.

What we want is for both sides to drop guns and establish normal state relationship to co-exist peacefully.

The unilateral demand that one of the two belligerent parties forces the other party to drop guns and come out first with its hands up can never be met.

President Bush was reported to have proposed to resume the six-way talks when the recent APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit was under way in Thailand, saying that he can provide the DPRK with written assurances of non-aggression.

We are ready to consider Bush's remarks on the "written assurances of non-aggression" if they are based on the intention to co-exist with the DPRK and aimed to play a positive role in realizing the proposal for a package solution on the principle of simultaneous actions.

This stance is prompted by the expectation that the DPRK and the US can build confidence and lay a foundation of co-existence in the course of solving issues one after another on the principle of simultaneous actions.

We have already informed the US side of it through the channel of New York contact and are now in the process of ascertaining the real intention of the US.

The US side reiterated its stance to attach importance to the New York contact and pursue it.

It is premature to talk about the six-way talks under the present situation unless the will to accept the principle of simultaneous actions is confirmed.