Annan calls for action on nuclear disputes with Iran, North Korea

May 15, 2006, 14:32 GMT

Seoul - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, visiting South Korea Monday, called for the rapid resolution of the disputes over the nuclear programmes of Iran and North Korea.

'The international community has to take very urgent steps to deal with these issues before we have a cascade of a proliferation of nuclear weapons,' Annan said after talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon in Seoul.

He expressed hopes that a peaceful solution can be found in both cases and said he was 'encouraged' by the intensive diplomatic efforts on the Iran issue.

Last week he called for the US to engage in direct talks with Iran, a suggestion the US rejected.

A new European package of trade and technical incentives designed to convince Iran to halt its nuclear programme could be ready by the end of the week.

In the case of North Korea Annan called on the participants of the six nation talks to continue their efforts to bring about a resumption of the negotiations. North Korea continues to reject a return to talks.

'It is only at the negotiating table that we can find the solution,' he said.

'I think in terms of priority, the nuclear issue is by far the most important and should be given separate and top priority compared with human rights and other activities [in North Korea],' Annan said.

Annan, who began Sunday a two-week Asian tour which will also take him to China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam, discussed UN reform with Foreign Minister Ban.

Ban, 61, a career diplomat, is one of three top Asian contestants for Annan's job when he retires later this year.