US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today said she was encouraged by signs that North Korea may be getting ready to return to stalled talks on its nuclear programme.
"Ultimately it is up to the North Koreans, but we are encouraged by signs of progress to return to the talks that we are seeing," Ms Clinton told reporters after a meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan.
Ms Clinton spoke as two senior US envoys on the North Korea issue wrapped up a tour to the region for talks with South Korea, Japan and China, which along with the United States are pushing to resume dialogue with Pyongyang.
"Ambassador Sung Kim and Ambassador Stephen Bosworth are quite heartened by the movement that we see in our joint efforts," she told reporters.
Ms Clinton said the United States would continue to push for the resumption of disarmament talks that North Korea abandoned a year ago.
North Korea quit the so-called six-party talks - which also include Russia - and subsequently staged its staged its second-ever nuclear test in May 2009, drawing international condemnation and a fresh round of UN sanctions.
Pyongyang has said it could end its nuclear arms programme if the United States drops what it calls a "hostile policy", and it has also demanded that Washington agree to peace treaty talks and lift sanctions.
Washington has said North Korea's demands for aid and improved relations can be addressed only along with renewed nuclear disarmament steps by Pyongyang.
Reuters