U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow says that Seoul and Washington have already begun discussions on an envisioned agreement to formally end the Korean War and bring peace to the Korean Peninsula.

During a security forum Thursday in Seoul, Vershbow also said that the two Koreas will be the main parties in the process, with the U.S. and China playing key supporting roles.

The U.S. envoy added, however, that the discussions will be an arduous, lengthy process, citing many thorny issues including the need for inter-Korean trust building at the military level.

Vershbow also underscored that such discussions are closely linked to the North’s dismantling of its nuclear weapons.