North Korea and the US will start bilateral talks on establishing diplomatic relations, according to a joint statement released at the end of the current round of six-party talks.

"North Korea and the US will start bilateral talks aimed at resolving pending issues and moving toward full diplomatic relations," the joint statement says.

The US will begin the process of removing the designation of North Korea as a state-sponsor of terrorism and advance the process of terminating the application of the Trading with the Enemy Act with respect to North Korea, the joint statement says.

The third phase of the fifth-round six-party talks, which groups China, the US, Japan, Russia, North and South Korea, concluded in Beijing Tuesday afternoon after six days of consultations.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2007)