The U.S. says North Korea must return to the six-party nuclear talks without preconditions.

Washington reiterated that it will not discuss lifting sanctions or signing a peace treaty unless North Korea returns to the six-way talks.

Assistant Secretary of State Philip Crowley told a daily news briefing Monday that the U.S. position remains that if North Korea comes back to the six-party process and begins to take affirmative steps toward denuclearization, Washington would be prepared to have a wide-ranging bilateral or multilateral dialogue on other issues.

Crowley said nothing has changed in regards to the possibility of a resumption of the talks, even after Ambassador Stephen Bosworth's visit to Pyongyang last month.