North Korea said yesterday it could resume six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons programs if US President George W. Bush's new administration agrees to change its policy toward the state.

　　"The Bush administration should give abundant clarity to its willingness to make a switchover in its policy toward the (North) and coexist with it in peace," said Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's main state-run newspaper.

　　"This would provide groundwork for the two sides to sit at the negotiating table."

　　The two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States have held three rounds of six-nation talks since last year on the dispute over the North's nuclear weapons program, but no breakthrough has been reported.

　　A fourth round was slated for September but Pyongyang refused to attend amid speculation that it was waiting to see who would win the US presidential election.

　　Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi urged North Korea to return to the negotiating table now that the election is over.

　　"The talks with North Korea need to restart as soon as possible," Koizumi said on Monday in Chile.

　　"Through the six-party talks, we are trying to convince North Korea that there's no reason to possess nuclear weapons, but every reason to get rid of them."

　　The nuclear negotiations started after US officials said North Korea admitted running a secret atomic program in violation of international agreements.

　　Bush has labeled North Korea part of an "axis of evil" with Iran and prewar Iraq and demanded an immediate halt and dismantling of all of its nuclear activities.

　　Washington has not indicated whether it plans to alter its stance.

　　Yesterday, North Korea said a willingness by the United States to change its policy on the North would be "a seed and a master key" for resuming the talks.

　　"It is only too plain and self-evident that the six-party talks can never be held unless the US, which is to blame for the destruction of their groundwork, rebuilds it," Rodong said.

　　In Tokyo, meanwhile, the secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party expressed doubt on the effectiveness of dealing with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and said that Japan should be prepared in case there was a regime change.

　　"It is increasingly doubtful that we will be able to achieve any results negotiating with the (current North Korean) government," Shinzo Abe was quoted by Japanese media as saying over the weekend.

　　His comments followed reports last week that Kim's portraits had been removed from public places, an unusual development because the dictator is the focus of an all-encompassing cult of personality.

　　(The Associated Press)