U.S. ready to offer N. Korea guarantee

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The Bush administration yesterday said it is prepared to offer written security guarantees to North Korea in the form of a joint document with other regional powers in upcoming nuclear talks.

Although such a pledge would not be a formal treaty subject to congressional ratification, it nevertheless could be endorsed by Congress in a resolution, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell told reporters at the Washington Foreign Press Center.

"There should be ways to capture assurances to the North Koreans -- from not only the United States, but we believe from other parties in the region -- that there is no hostile intent among the parties that might be participating in such a discussion," Mr. Powell said.

"When one comes up with such a document, such a written assurance, there are ways that Congress can take note of it without it being a treaty or some kind of pact. A resolution is something like that -- taking note of something."

In Tokyo, the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reported today that diplomats from the United States, Japan and South Korea will meet next Wednesday and Thursday in Washington to coordinate policy on North Korea ahead of six-nation talks on the communist state's nuclear weapons program.

The newspaper, quoting Japanese government sources, said senior diplomats from the three countries would hold "informal" talks on a joint proposal to North Korea.

The White House has said the North Korean nuclear threat can be dealt with diplomatically, but has not ruled out any options, including military action.

A security guarantee to North Korea in the context of a broad regional pledge with other countries would not change that stance because the guarantee would express intent but not be legally binding, administration officials said.

The issue is part of an intensive diplomatic effort to convene a meeting among the United States, North Korea, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia in the next few weeks.