TOKYO, Japan --The United States and North Korea have begun discussions aimed at holding another round of six-nation talks over the North's nuclear arms program, a Japanese newspaper reported, according to Reuters.
On Monday, Asahi Shimbun quoting "a source close to U.S.-North Korea relations," said officials from the two countries met in New York last Friday and agreed to meet again.
"There was agreement to hurry preparations for a second round of six-way talks in Beijing in early December," the newspaper quoted the source as saying in a report from Washington.
Representatives of the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas held talks in Beijing in August, but they failed to set a date for another round of talks.
Meanwhile, a U.S. congressional delegation has called off a planned trip to North Korea to talk about Pyongyang's secretive nuclear program.
The trip would have coincided with a critical stage in the nuclear standoff between the United States and North Korea, with Pyongyang indicating at the weekend it might be softening its stance towards a U.S. proposal to ease tensions.
The delegation had planned to visit the Yongbyon nuclear site, to see for itself if North Korea has the capabilities to make atomic weapons.
A bipartisan group of House members were to leave for Pyongyang this week, but delegation spokesman Bud DeFlaviis said the trip was on hold "for the time being" after the White House expressed concern about it.
The Bush administration withdrew its support for the trip "at the 11th hour," a delegation statement released Sunday said.
The White House had no comment Sunday evening.
North Korea had earlier indicated it could consider U.S. President George W. Bush's offer of written security guarantees to end tensions over its nuclear weapons development.
Pyongyang had initially dismissed as laughable Bush's written pledge from five countries not to attack, as long as North Korea scraps its nuclear weapons program.
But four days later, in an sudden about-face, they issued a new response.
"We are ready to consider Bush's remarks on the 'written assurances of non-aggression' if they are based on the intention to co-exist with the DPRK and aimed to play a positive role in realizing the proposal for a package solution on the principle of simultaneous actions," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement reported by KCNA, the North Korean state news service.
North Korea previously insisted it needed a formal nonaggression treaty signed by the U.S. before it would back away from its nuclear program.
"This stance is prompted by the expectation that the DPRK and the U.S. can build confidence and lay a foundation of co-existence in the course of solving issues one after another on the principle of simultaneous actions," the latest statement said.
Washington has labelled North Korea part of an "axis of evil," along with Iraq and Iran, and is demanding the communist state shut down its nuclear program immediately.
The nuclear dispute flared last October, when U.S. officials said North Korea admitted having a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of international agreements.
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CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
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TOKYO, Japan --The United States and North Korea have begun discussions aimed at holding another round of six-nation talks over the North's nuclear arms program, a Japanese newspaper reported, according to Reuters.
On Monday, Asahi Shimbun quoting "a source close to U.S.-North Korea relations," said officials from the two countries met in New York last Friday and agreed to meet again.
"There was agreement to hurry preparations for a second round of six-way talks in Beijing in early December," the newspaper quoted the source as saying in a report from Washington.
Representatives of the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas held talks in Beijing in August, but they failed to set a date for another round of talks.
Meanwhile, a U.S. congressional delegation has called off a planned trip to North Korea to talk about Pyongyang's secretive nuclear program.
The trip would have coincided with a critical stage in the nuclear standoff between the United States and North Korea, with Pyongyang indicating at the weekend it might be softening its stance towards a U.S. proposal to ease tensions.
The delegation had planned to visit the Yongbyon nuclear site, to see for itself if North Korea has the capabilities to make atomic weapons.
A bipartisan group of House members were to leave for Pyongyang this week, but delegation spokesman Bud DeFlaviis said the trip was on hold "for the time being" after the White House expressed concern about it.
The Bush administration withdrew its support for the trip "at the 11th hour," a delegation statement released Sunday said.
The White House had no comment Sunday evening.
North Korea had earlier indicated it could consider U.S. President George W. Bush's offer of written security guarantees to end tensions over its nuclear weapons development.
Pyongyang had initially dismissed as laughable Bush's written pledge from five countries not to attack, as long as North Korea scraps its nuclear weapons program.
But four days later, in an sudden about-face, they issued a new response.
"We are ready to consider Bush's remarks on the 'written assurances of non-aggression' if they are based on the intention to co-exist with the DPRK and aimed to play a positive role in realizing the proposal for a package solution on the principle of simultaneous actions," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement reported by KCNA, the North Korean state news service.
North Korea previously insisted it needed a formal nonaggression treaty signed by the U.S. before it would back away from its nuclear program.
"This stance is prompted by the expectation that the DPRK and the U.S. can build confidence and lay a foundation of co-existence in the course of solving issues one after another on the principle of simultaneous actions," the latest statement said.
Washington has labelled North Korea part of an "axis of evil," along with Iraq and Iran, and is demanding the communist state shut down its nuclear program immediately.
The nuclear dispute flared last October, when U.S. officials said North Korea admitted having a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of international agreements.
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
Denotes premium content.
TOKYO, Japan --The United States and North Korea have begun discussions aimed at holding another round of six-nation talks over the North's nuclear arms program, a Japanese newspaper reported, according to Reuters.
On Monday, Asahi Shimbun quoting "a source close to U.S.-North Korea relations," said officials from the two countries met in New York last Friday and agreed to meet again.
"There was agreement to hurry preparations for a second round of six-way talks in Beijing in early December," the newspaper quoted the source as saying in a report from Washington.
Representatives of the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas held talks in Beijing in August, but they failed to set a date for another round of talks.
Meanwhile, a U.S. congressional delegation has called off a planned trip to North Korea to talk about Pyongyang's secretive nuclear program.
The trip would have coincided with a critical stage in the nuclear standoff between the United States and North Korea, with Pyongyang indicating at the weekend it might be softening its stance towards a U.S. proposal to ease tensions.
The delegation had planned to visit the Yongbyon nuclear site, to see for itself if North Korea has the capabilities to make atomic weapons.
A bipartisan group of House members were to leave for Pyongyang this week, but delegation spokesman Bud DeFlaviis said the trip was on hold "for the time being" after the White House expressed concern about it.
The Bush administration withdrew its support for the trip "at the 11th hour," a delegation statement released Sunday said.
The White House had no comment Sunday evening.
North Korea had earlier indicated it could consider U.S. President George W. Bush's offer of written security guarantees to end tensions over its nuclear weapons development.
Pyongyang had initially dismissed as laughable Bush's written pledge from five countries not to attack, as long as North Korea scraps its nuclear weapons program.
But four days later, in an sudden about-face, they issued a new response.
"We are ready to consider Bush's remarks on the 'written assurances of non-aggression' if they are based on the intention to co-exist with the DPRK and aimed to play a positive role in realizing the proposal for a package solution on the principle of simultaneous actions," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement reported by KCNA, the North Korean state news service.
North Korea previously insisted it needed a formal nonaggression treaty signed by the U.S. before it would back away from its nuclear program.
"This stance is prompted by the expectation that the DPRK and the U.S. can build confidence and lay a foundation of co-existence in the course of solving issues one after another on the principle of simultaneous actions," the latest statement said.
Washington has labelled North Korea part of an "axis of evil," along with Iraq and Iran, and is demanding the communist state shut down its nuclear program immediately.
The nuclear dispute flared last October, when U.S. officials said North Korea admitted having a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of international agreements.
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
Denotes premium content.
TOKYO, Japan --The United States and North Korea have begun discussions aimed at holding another round of six-nation talks over the North's nuclear arms program, a Japanese newspaper reported, according to Reuters.
On Monday, Asahi Shimbun quoting "a source close to U.S.-North Korea relations," said officials from the two countries met in New York last Friday and agreed to meet again.
"There was agreement to hurry preparations for a second round of six-way talks in Beijing in early December," the newspaper quoted the source as saying in a report from Washington.
Representatives of the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas held talks in Beijing in August, but they failed to set a date for another round of talks.
Meanwhile, a U.S. congressional delegation has called off a planned trip to North Korea to talk about Pyongyang's secretive nuclear program.
The trip would have coincided with a critical stage in the nuclear standoff between the United States and North Korea, with Pyongyang indicating at the weekend it might be softening its stance towards a U.S. proposal to ease tensions.
The delegation had planned to visit the Yongbyon nuclear site, to see for itself if North Korea has the capabilities to make atomic weapons.
A bipartisan group of House members were to leave for Pyongyang this week, but delegation spokesman Bud DeFlaviis said the trip was on hold "for the time being" after the White House expressed concern about it.
The Bush administration withdrew its support for the trip "at the 11th hour," a delegation statement released Sunday said.
The White House had no comment Sunday evening.
North Korea had earlier indicated it could consider U.S. President George W. Bush's offer of written security guarantees to end tensions over its nuclear weapons development.
Pyongyang had initially dismissed as laughable Bush's written pledge from five countries not to attack, as long as North Korea scraps its nuclear weapons program.
But four days later, in an sudden about-face, they issued a new response.
"We are ready to consider Bush's remarks on the 'written assurances of non-aggression' if they are based on the intention to co-exist with the DPRK and aimed to play a positive role in realizing the proposal for a package solution on the principle of simultaneous actions," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement reported by KCNA, the North Korean state news service.
North Korea previously insisted it needed a formal nonaggression treaty signed by the U.S. before it would back away from its nuclear program.
"This stance is prompted by the expectation that the DPRK and the U.S. can build confidence and lay a foundation of co-existence in the course of solving issues one after another on the principle of simultaneous actions," the latest statement said.
Washington has labelled North Korea part of an "axis of evil," along with Iraq and Iran, and is demanding the communist state shut down its nuclear program immediately.
The nuclear dispute flared last October, when U.S. officials said North Korea admitted having a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of international agreements.
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
Denotes premium content.
TOKYO, Japan --The United States and North Korea have begun discussions aimed at holding another round of six-nation talks over the North's nuclear arms program, a Japanese newspaper reported, according to Reuters.
On Monday, Asahi Shimbun quoting "a source close to U.S.-North Korea relations," said officials from the two countries met in New York last Friday and agreed to meet again.
"There was agreement to hurry preparations for a second round of six-way talks in Beijing in early December," the newspaper quoted the source as saying in a report from Washington.
Representatives of the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas held talks in Beijing in August, but they failed to set a date for another round of talks.
Meanwhile, a U.S. congressional delegation has called off a planned trip to North Korea to talk about Pyongyang's secretive nuclear program.
The trip would have coincided with a critical stage in the nuclear standoff between the United States and North Korea, with Pyongyang indicating at the weekend it might be softening its stance towards a U.S. proposal to ease tensions.
The delegation had planned to visit the Yongbyon nuclear site, to see for itself if North Korea has the capabilities to make atomic weapons.
A bipartisan group of House members were to leave for Pyongyang this week, but delegation spokesman Bud DeFlaviis said the trip was on hold "for the time being" after the White House expressed concern about it.
The Bush administration withdrew its support for the trip "at the 11th hour," a delegation statement released Sunday said.
The White House had no comment Sunday evening.
North Korea had earlier indicated it could consider U.S. President George W. Bush's offer of written security guarantees to end tensions over its nuclear weapons development.
Pyongyang had initially dismissed as laughable Bush's written pledge from five countries not to attack, as long as North Korea scraps its nuclear weapons program.
But four days later, in an sudden about-face, they issued a new response.
"We are ready to consider Bush's remarks on the 'written assurances of non-aggression' if they are based on the intention to co-exist with the DPRK and aimed to play a positive role in realizing the proposal for a package solution on the principle of simultaneous actions," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement reported by KCNA, the North Korean state news service.
North Korea previously insisted it needed a formal nonaggression treaty signed by the U.S. before it would back away from its nuclear program.
"This stance is prompted by the expectation that the DPRK and the U.S. can build confidence and lay a foundation of co-existence in the course of solving issues one after another on the principle of simultaneous actions," the latest statement said.
Washington has labelled North Korea part of an "axis of evil," along with Iraq and Iran, and is demanding the communist state shut down its nuclear program immediately.
The nuclear dispute flared last October, when U.S. officials said North Korea admitted having a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of international agreements.
