N. Korea rejects U.S. call to discard nuclear weapons before talks

North Korea on Saturday expressed eagerness to hold talks with the United States "on an equal footing," official media said, rejecting a U.S. demand to abandon nuclear weapons if the Asian nation wants to start bilateral talks.Pyongyang is willing to prepare for dialogue in which the two sides "discuss and resolve issues of mutual concern on an equal footing," a Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency.Late last month, North Korea surprisingly told South Korea that it is "fully open" to talks with the United States, but Washington has reiterated a…READ FULL ARTICLE