US commits to North Korea talks

The United States has announced it is willing to negotiate with North Korea in an attempt to bring the communist state back to the table in talks regarding nuclear disarmament.

Philip Crowley, the US state department spokesman, said on Friday that Washington was now committed to coaxing Pyongyang back into the six-nation talks.

'We are prepared to enter into a bilateral discussion with North Korea,' Mr Crowley said.

'We've made no decisions at this point, other than just to say we are prepared for a bilateral talk, if that will help advance the six-party process.'

Washington had previously stated it would only sit down for negotiations with North Korea if Pyongyang agreed to return to the disarmament talks involving China, Japan, Russia and South Korea.

It is unlikely, however, that the bilateral talks will talk place before the UN General Assembly meets in New York at the end of September.

Relation between the US and North Korea have soured considerably this year, with Pyongyang expressing its anger at Washington's continual military alliance with the South.

The communist state also drew international condemnation after carrying out an underground nuclear test and conducting a series of missile tests.