Beijing: North Korea today (Dec 16, 2006) ruled out dismantling its nuclear weapons unilaterally in the face of 'hostile' policies against Pyongyang, signalling major difficulties in the six-party talks scheduled to resume here on Monday after a hiatus of over one year.

North Korea was not optimistic about the outlook of the upcoming round of six party talks, and the US should change its hostile policy towards Pyongyang to peaceful co-existence policy, head of the North Korean delegation Kim Kye-gwan said on his arrival at Beijing International Airport.

The second phase of the fifth round of the six-party talks, involving the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia, is due to resume in Beijing on December 18 after its last session in November 2005.

Kim, also vice foreign minister of North Korea, said his side was willing to discuss other contents of the September Joint Statement, except the nuclear weapons, during the new round of six-party talks, under the condition that the US gives up its economic sanctions against his country.

He said Democratic People's Republic of Korea will not give up the nuclear weapons, which are against the US invasion and threat.

"The United States should change its hostile policy against the DPRK," he said. "The nuclear issues cannot be resolved until the US take a co-existence policy," he asserted.

The North Korean delegation is the first to arrive in Beijing. The South Korean delegation is scheduled to arrive this afternoon. The Russian, US and Japanese delegations are scheduled to arrive tomorrow.