The Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Sunday that Pyongyang has no intention to hold bilateral talks with the United States separate from the framework of the six-party talks on the nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula.

"We have never requested the DPRK-US talks independent of the six-way talks," said a spokesman for the foreign ministry. "We had already clarified our stand that we cannot have any form of talks with the US nor can we deal with it as long as the DPRK is branded as 'an outpost of tyranny'."

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), citing the spokesman, said that the government needed to clarify its standpoint over the recent US reports that Pyongyang will not continue taking part in the six-party talks but proposed DPRK-US talks.

"Because there were press reports that the US is ready to recognize the DPRK as a sovereign state and hold bilateral talks within the framework of the six-party talks," he said, "we only expressed our intention to directly meet the US side to confirm whether those reports are true before making a final determination. "

"If the US truly wishes to settle the nuclear issue through the six-party talks, it should stop ignoring and insulting its dialogue partner and try to create an atmosphere favorable for the resumption of the six-way talks," the spokesman said.

He also reiterated DPRK's stand on establishing a non-nuclear Korean Peninsula through negotiation.