Pyongyang has called for peace talks with the United States and an end to sanctions as a condition for resuming multilateral negotiations aimed at its denuclearization.

The North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Jan. 11 that the resumption of the six-party nuclear talks depends on improving relations with Washington and called for a peace treaty.

The statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, said in order to build confidence between North Korea and the United States, "it is essential to conclude a peace treaty for terminating the state of war, a root cause of the hostile relations."

The 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.