A former U.S. State Department official has stressed that the six-way nuclear talks should be complemented with direct talks between North Korea and the United States in order to settle the communist state's nuclear impasse.

Jack Pritchard, who once served as special envoy to North Korea for President George W. Bush, made the remarks in Washington Monday at the 5th World Korean Forum.

Pritchard said that the talks between the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia are very "important," but that the multilateral discussions are not enough to fully dismantle North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

He also stressed that Washington should not seek measures to replace the North's regime without the consent of Seoul and its people, and must consider its alliance with South Korea as the top priority.