Sweden plans to send invitations to the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) within the coming weeks for another round of nuclear negotiations in the European country, Yonhap reported on Wednesday, citing Sweden's special envoy for Korean Peninsula affairs. 

"We will issue new invitations to the two sides for new meetings at the time agreed upon by the two parties," Kent Harstedt told a press conference in Seoul. 

The envoy also expressed his "cautious optimism," stressing Pyongyang has not closed the door yet for the dialogue process although it declared the no-deal working-level talks with the U.S. in Sweden earlier this month a "breakdown."

"It is of course up to the two parties to decide the timing of such a meeting, but we will remain proactive from the Swedish side to encourage them to meet," he added, calling the dialogue process a "historic window of opportunity." 

Immediately after the U.S. and DPRK concluded their latest talks on the outskirts of Stockholm on October 5, Sweden invited them to meet again in two weeks. Washington accepted it, but Pyongyang has not responded. 

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"We have to bear in mind that this is very sensitive and complicated matters to discuss if you don't know each other ... So, I still believe this is part of understanding each other better," Harstedt said while commenting on the latest talks between Washington and Pyongyang. 

He also stressed the role of Sweden as a "facilitator" or "icebreaker," while pointing to his country's long "history of trust" with both Washington and Pyongyang and decades-old ties that Sweden has cultivated with DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK). 

"We are not a party directly involved in the conflict on the Korean Peninsula. We believe those directly involved can benefit from the support of a neutral and honest broker. It is a role we pursue with integrity and honesty," the envoy said.

Harstedt was in Seoul to meet ROK officials and scholars, including Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, SMEs and Startups Minister Park Young-sun and Seoul's top nuclear negotiator Lee Do-hoon, Yonhap said.

The breakdown

On the last round of nuclear talks, Pyongyang had "no desire to hold such nauseating negotiations such as this one unless the U.S. takes practical measures to irreversibly withdraw its hostile policy," a spokesman for the DPRK's Foreign Ministry said on October 6, blaming Washington for "abusing" the talks. 

While the U.S. side said they had "good discussions." 

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement that "the U.S. brought creative ideas and had good discussions with its DPRK counterparts." 

"The United States and the DPRK will not overcome a legacy of 70 years of war and hostility on the Korean Peninsula through the course of a single Saturday. These are weighty issues, and they require a strong commitment by both countries. The United States has that commitment," she added. 

Similar-level talks on the DPRK's nuclear disarmament were held in Stockholm in March 2018 and then in January this year. 

(Cover: Kent Harstedt (L), Sweden's special envoy for Korean Peninsula affairs, shakes hands with top nuclear negotiator Lee Do-hoon during a meeting in Seoul, ROK, October 23, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

(With input from agencies)