N. Korea crisis talks end, new round planned

North Korea nuclear crisis talks closed yesterday with what the six nations involved had predicted the best possible outcome - agreement to meet again.

But that did not stop Pyongyang from taking a parting swipe at the United States.

Frustrations surfaced during three days of meetings at a secluded state guesthouse in Beijing amid signs the world's most reclusive communist state had told its US foes it would prove its nuclear credentials by carrying out a test.

"The talks were difficult, sometimes very tense," Interfax news agency quoted Russia's negotiator as saying. "There was no failure, but there was no breakthrough either."

The only concrete result came when host China said all six countries - the two Koreas, Japan, Russia, the United States and China - agreed to work towards a Korean peninsula free of nuclear arms and would meet again within two months.

It set no place or date and predicted future talks to end a nuclear standoff that erupted 10 months ago would not be easy.

"The talks saw progress and also differences, but all parties thought the talks were beneficial," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a closing ceremony at which he read out a six-point agreement to applause from all delegations.

Underscoring the urgency of the standoff, head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei said North Korea had been guilty of nuclear "blackmail" and could not be trusted.

North Korea posed the world's biggest nuclear threat, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency told the BBC.

The crisis may require many more rounds of talks because the United States, which says Pyongyang may already have one or two nuclear weapons, is looking for a commitment that North Korea will scrap its programme before making any concessions.

However, the US side said it hoped to progress to gradual establishment of diplomatic ties with North Korea - a proposal first made 10 years ago but never fulfilled, Wang said.

North Korea wants security guarantees before dismantling.

"Even though future talks will not be smooth sailing, so long as all parties make efforts we can find the path to a peaceful resolution," Wang Yi was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

Under the six-point agreement, no party would aggravate the situation while talks proceeded and all recognised the need to address North Korea's security concerns, Wang said.

North Korean bluster and US silence - so far - may not augur a lack of future progress.

"This result is the best that could have been reached - to keep the issue on the track of dialogue," said Jin Canrong, international relations expert at Beijing's People's University.

"But in future, the dialogue must gradually hammer out some concrete results," he said.

Pyongyang did not hesitate to use tested tactics of bluster, a move that in the past has heralded a softening of position.

"In the final analysis, the US would move only after the DPRK (North Korea) is completely disarmed," North Korea's official KCNA news agency quoted delegate Kim Yong-il as saying.

"The DPRK cannot interpret this otherwise than a US intention to invade it after it is disarmed," he said in a final swipe at his US counterpart. "It is a brigandish-like demand beyond the tolerance limit."

US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly kept his cards close to his chest, giving no indication of a shift and diplomats said the discussions were an opportunity for all sides to lay out their positions and not a forum for negotiation.

The North's Kim raised the rhetoric on the second day by speaking about carrying out a test and saying North Korea could declare itself a nuclear power, said US officials.

However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov played down talk of an imminent test, Interfax said.

"These statements do not conform to reality," he said. Moscow says Pyongyang only has some components for a nuclear bomb.

The White House also played down Pyongyang's comments on arms tests and lauded the level of cooperation at the talks.

North Korea wants a package including a non-aggression treaty and diplomatic ties with the United States, KCNA said.

"In return, the DPRK will not manufacture nuclear weapons and allow in inspection, realise the ultimate dismantlement of nuclear facilities and stop the export and experiment of missiles," it said.

A nuclear-armed North Korea would destabilise Northeast Asia, possibly prompt an arms race and enrage China, which is Pyongyang's closest remaining friend and neighbour.

North Korea, which US President George W. Bush has named part of an "axis of evil" with pre-war Iraq and Iran, maintains it has a right to a nuclear deterrent to fend off what it regards as US hostility.