North Korea negotiator says nuclear talks with US have broken down, blames Washington

This undated and unlocated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)on June 23, 2019 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reading a personal letter from President of the United States of America Donald Trump. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / KCNA VIA KNS / AFP) / - South Korea OUT / ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS / THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE --- /

North Korea’s top nuclear envoy on Saturday said talks with the US being held in Stockholm after months of stalemate had broken down, blaming Washington for bringing “nothing to the negotiation table”.

“The negotiations have not fulfilled our expectations and finally broke up… without any outcome. (It) is totally due to the fact that the US would not give up their old… attitude,” Kim Myong Gil said.

The talks with Stephen Biegun, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, were a much-anticipated resumption of dialogue after a Hanoi meeting in late February between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un failed to yield a breakthrough.

“The US raised expectations and offered suggestions like flexible approach, new methods and creative solutions but they have disappointed us greatly, and dampened our enthusiasm for negotiations by bringing nothing to the negotiation table,” Kim Myong Gil said.

“These talks were held at a crucial moment when the situation on the Korean peninsula stands at the crossroads of dialogue or confrontation. Therefore we have come to the negotiating table with a responsibility that we should ensure a result to promote the development of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea),” he added.

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