N Korea warns on US-led exercises

North Korea will discuss the programme with China next week

North Korea has threatened to expand its nuclear weapons programme if the annual US-led military exercises in South Korea go ahead next week.

A North Korean state news agency statement spoke of increasing the quality and quantity of the programme in response to the US military threat.

The agency complained of the "negative attitude" the US had adopted at talks.

It said it was impossible to have productive talks with a party carrying a dagger in its belt.

The last round of talks - at the end of February - ended without a breakthrough, but an American spokesman said that despite this they had been very successful.

On Thursday Beijing announced plans to send Li Zhaoxing to Pyongyang next week, for the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister for five years.

Officials said North Korea's nuclear programme would be on the agenda of the visit.