North Korea said Friday it would not start dismantling its nuclear weapons programme until the United States lifts sanctions on eight Pyongyang companies, bringing six-way nuclear talks back to stalemate. The unexpected demand came on the last day of a three-day session meant to kick-start negotiations on how to implement a September 19 agreement in which the North committed to disarm in return for energy aid and other benefits. "We have seriously proposed the US should lift financial sanctions on us," Kim Gye-Gwan, North Korea's chief delegate to the six-nation talks, told reporters after negotiations in Beijing ended."The financial sanctions violate the (September) joint statement and make it impossible to carry out the commitments to implement the joint statement. We came out for negotiations because the US said it would stop its hostile policy and co-exist with us."