The United States has reiterated that the stalled six-way nuclear talks can resume once North Korea abandons its uranium enrichment program and meet other preconditions.

State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters that Washington does not believe the North’s uranium enrichment efforts meet civilian needs.

Nuland stressed the need for the North to improve its ties with South Korea and to observe a 2005 agreement with the U.S., South Korea, China, Russia and Japan on scrapping its nuclear program. The spokeswoman said the U.S. needs to see Pyongyang take “concrete steps” along such lines.