NORTH KOREA: North Korea, having hinted it might be ready for fresh talks on its nuclear intentions, has offered to show a US congressional delegation how it makes weapons-grade plutonium.
But the US congressional delegation, which had been due to leave for the reclusive communist state on Sunday, called off the trip at the last minute, citing White House opposition.
China, which hosted a first round of talks on the nuclear crisis in August and sends an envoy to Pyongyang tomorrow, praised North Korea for showing a willingness to consider a US offer of security guarantees.
"China appreciates the positive gesture of North Korea," a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said after what was a significant weekend shift by the North in the year-old crisis.
North Korea's KCNA news agency reported late on Sunday that the US delegation had been scheduled to visit the Yongbyon nuclear complex where the North reprocesses fuel rods.
The North had "prepared an itinerary in such a way as to let the delegation visit the nuclear facility in Yongbyon, as desired by the delegation so that it might watch on the spot the completed reprocessing and the switch over made in the use of plutonium," KCNA said.
The North's offer to show Americans its capacity to expand a suspected arsenal of two nuclear weapons follows weeks of statements in which it has proclaimed nuclear progress, but Washington dismissed as bluff.
Mr Curt Weldon, a Pennsylvania Republican set to head the delegation, said the trip had been delayed after the White House withdrew its support for the visit "at the 11th hour".