Jimmy Carter: North Korea ready for summit with the South

Apr 28, 2011, 11:10 GMT

Seoul - North Korean ruler Kim Jong Il is ready to meet the South's President Lee Myung Bak anytime, former US president Jimmy Carter said in Seoul Thursday after arriving from Pyongyang.

Both sides could bring up any issues at talks, Carter was quoted as saying by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.

He said Pyongyang was ready to discuss its nuclear weapons programme and other military issues.

During his trip to the Stalinist state Carter did not meet Kim.

Carter, 86, travelled to North Korea on Tuesday as a private citizen with former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, former Norwegian premier Gro Brundtland and former Irish president Mary Robinson, at North Korea's invitation

The four former leaders travelled on to Seoul after three days in the North.

Their visit was aimed at trying to help ease the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Tensions have risen since the artillery shelling of a South Korean island by North Korean forces in November. South Korea has demanded an apology before any further negotiations.

Read more about Koreas Conflict

Read more about US