The White House says the U.S. would consider reopening the six-way nuclear talks if North Korea makes denuclearization promises that South Korea can be content with.

Jeff Bader, senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, said the U.S. believes that in the wake of the sinking of the “Cheonan” ship by a North Korean torpedo, it's critical for North Korea to address South Korean concerns about the attack and to give assurances to the South about its future intents. Bader said that the North must also promise the South that it will not launch another attack.

He said that if the North can give such satisfactory assurances to the South, then Washington could contemplate moving back toward the six-party talks.

He added that in order for the nuclear negotiations to resume, the North needs to address with sincerity and with demonstrable behavior the denuclearization issue. He apparently was stressing the need for Pyongyang to fulfill the commitments it made in the September 19th, 2005 joint statement.

Bader also said that U.S. President Barack Obama will discuss the North’s nuclear issue when he meets with President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul next week.