North Korea told a Chinese envoy it planned to conduct no further nuclear tests, South Korean and Japanese media reported on Friday.
BEIJING: North Korea told a Chinese envoy it planned to conduct no further nuclear tests, South Korean and Japanese media reported on Friday, raising hopes China's diplomacy might force its neighbour back to talks.
But US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in Beijing to rally support for sanctions against North Korea, sounded a less optimistic note and said after meeting the Chinese envoy that she was not convinced Pyongyang was ready for dialogue.
"I can't answer whether they are serious about returning to six-party talks or not," Rice told reporters, adding that Pyongyang's tone was still belligerent.
In London, a Whitehall source said the British government was still working on the assumption a second nuclear test would follow the one on Oct. 9 that was met with international condemnation and led to United Nations sanctions.
"We've heard the report but seen nothing to confirm it," said the Whitehall source of South Korean news agency Yonhap's report that North Korea did not plan another test.
Japanese news agency Kyodo quoted Foreign Minister Taro Aso as saying he also had information, although not confirmed, that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il said he would not conduct another test.
In Washington, White House spokesman Tony Snow said the North Koreans had not offered to return to six-party talks and their comments indicated sanctions were working.
Highlighting North Korea's stance that it needs a nuclear deterrent, more than 100,000 people rallied on Friday in the main square of Pyongyang to hail the nuclear test.
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