North Korea Says U.S. Alone Is Holding Up 6-Nation Nuclear Talks

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 - North Korea put the onus squarely on the United States on Tuesday to resolve the standoff in nuclear disarmament negotiations, saying Washington must drop its insistence that the North abandon plans for a nuclear power plant.

Kim Kye Gwan, the North's chief negotiator in the six-nation disarmament talks, which began a recess on Sunday, made no mention of the other four nations in the negotiations and suggested no further flexibility on his part.

North Korea's "stand on the nuclear issue is very clear," the New China News Agency quoted him as saying Tuesday in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. "Now it's up to the U.S. to change its policy." His remarks suggested that three days of reflection and consultation had only hardened North Korea's stance.

A standoff over North Korea's demand that it be allowed to use nuclear power for peaceful means prevented negotiators from reaching agreement on a statement of principles, which was the goal of the talks.

After 13 days of discussions, negotiators from the United States, North Korea, Russia, Japan, South Korea and China adjourned on Sunday and agreed to meet again the week of Aug. 29.

In Washington, Christopher R. Hill, the chief American negotiator in the talks, insisted that the American position had not changed, either. The United States, he said, cannot accept the idea that North Korea could have a peaceful nuclear program.

He said North Korea took a research reactor allowed under an agreement with the Clinton administration in 1994, and then ejected international inspectors and "proudly proclaimed it was making bombs from this research reactor. So there's a bit of a problem here."

Still, he tried to play down the disagreement, saying, "I would not assume that every difference that emerged at the very end of the talks represents a serious difference or a deal-breaker type difference."

Mr. Hill, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, added that the United States might have more direct discussions with North Korea before the talks formally resume. During Mr. Bush's first term, the United States refused to hold direct discussions with North Korea outside the context of the six-nation talks.

But even with the new flexibility, Mr. Hill acknowledged that he was not sure whether the talks would eventually succeed.

The United States finds itself facing the same predicament with North Korea and Iran. Both countries have indicated a possible willingness to abandon any plans for a nuclear weapons program - but also insist they must have civilian nuclear power plants. Iran began reprocessing uranium on Monday, saying it was intended for civilian use.

Last week, the United States endorsed a European proposal that acknowledged Iran's right to pursue a peaceful nuclear power program, under supervision. But it continues to oppose North Korea's nuclear-power ambitions.

President Bush explained the difference on Tuesday, offering unusual implicit praise of Iran, which he once labeled as a member of "the axis of evil."

"The Iranians have been, we hope, straightforward in their willingness to accept this kind of international cooperation," Mr. Bush said speaking to reporters at his ranch in Crawford, Tex. "North Korea is a different story. North Korea didn't tell the truth when it came to their enrichment program."

In fact, Iran has admitted deceiving inspectors about its nuclear activities for 17 years. But administration officials say the two negotiations simply require different approaches.