U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill says that North Korea will end this year whatever uranium enrichment activities it may be pursuing.

Speaking to the Sydney Institute, Hill said peace talks on the Korean peninsula could start if the North agrees to give up the 50 kilograms of plutonium produced at its Yongbyon facility.

The nuclear envoy went on to say that Washington had good reason to believe that any uranium enrichment program Pyongyang had would be stopped by year’s end.

Earlier this month, North Korea agreed at the six-party talks to disable its nuclear facilities and report all nuclear programs by the end of the year in return for economic and energy aid.