The six-party talks should be resumed and result in practical steps toward a peaceful resolution of the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, Christopher Hill, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said Friday.

Concerned countries should "do everything they can" to bring the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) back to the negotiation table, the assistant secretary said at a press briefing.

He said the joint statement passed at the end of the fourth round of talks in September 2005, the first ever produced by the six parties, "is a very important agreement, but it needs to be followed up by an agreement on implementation."

Under the statement, the DPRK pledged to abandon all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in exchange for energy aid and security guarantees. It also promised to return to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The fifth round of talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear program which also involves Beijing, Washington, Seoul, Moscow and Tokyo ended without an agreement in November 2005 in Beijing.

Source: Xinhua