US seeks support on N Korean crisis

South Korean officials are expected to tell Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly that sanctions are undesirable and that engagement is the best way to coax its northern neighbour out of isolation.

" [North Korea] continued to take steps in the wrong direction "
Nancy Beck
State Department spokeswoman

But the BBC's Caroline Gluck in Seoul says Washington is unwilling to cut a deal with North Korea, which it believes should not be given incentives for bad behaviour.

Despite international condemnation, the Stalinist state has withdrawn from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and hinted that it may resume long-range missile testing.

Alarm over Pyongyang's nuclear programme has been growing since it reopened last month a nuclear plant that can be used to produce weapons-grade plutonium.

North Korea says the plant will be used to generate electricity.

In a further diplomatic initiative, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is expected to meet the special envoy for the Russian Far East who has close ties with North Korea.

Assurances

A US State Department spokesman said on Saturday that North Korea had failed to address "issues of concern" over its nuclear programme during talks in New Mexico with former American diplomat Bill Richardson.

North Korea's threat to resume missile testing would only increase tensions and Pyongyang's isolation, he said.

Earlier in the day, North Korea reaffirmed that it had no intention to build nuclear weapons - but it also warned it could end its moratorium on ballistic missile tests.

The fresh assurances over Pyongyang's arms programme emerged from informal talks between Bill Richardson - a former US assistant secretary of state who is now the governor of New Mexico - and Han Song Ryol, North Korea's deputy ambassador to the UN.

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"Ambassador Han told me, and I think this is important, that North Korea has no intention of building nuclear weapons," Mr Richardson said on Saturday.

In its response, the US administration noted Pyongyang's willingness to have a dialogue - but said that was not enough.

"Unfortunately, the North Korean delegates did not address the issues of concern to the international community," State Department spokeswoman Nancy Beck said.

While the delegates were in New Mexico, she added, North Korea "continued to take steps in the wrong direction" by announcing its withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and threatening to end a moratorium on missile testing, Ms Beck said.

Earlier, North Korean reported that one million people had demonstrated in Pyongyang, in support of the government's decision to withdraw from the NPT.

Pyongyang on Friday described the move as a legitimate act of self-defence.

The communist state has warned that any sanctions will be viewed as a declaration of war.