While the American side is saying that North Korea has not produced a date for the next round of talks, the North Korean side is saying it will wait for the next move by the U.S.

Two days of contacts in New York among officials from Seoul, Pyongyang and Washington wrapped up on Friday with no clear progress toward the next round of talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear arsenal. While all three sides say frank discussions were held during the security conference, organized by the U.S. National Committee on American Foreign Policy, none were forthcoming on the specifics of the contacts.

The U.S. State Department confirmed that its envoy Joseph DeTrani met with Li Gun, the Pyongyang official at the conference, but stressed that there was no negotiating during the meeting.

"It was a contact. I'm not going to characterize it beyond that. I have said what we and the other members of the six-party talks continue to wait to hear from the North Koreans is that they will return to the talks. That's what matters."

As for the North Koreans, Li Gun told reporters after the conference that he had demanded the U.S. withdraw its reference to North Korea as an "outpost of tyranny," reiterating that the Bush administration had to give Pyongyang a reason to return to the multilateral nuclear talks.

Wi Sung-lac, the South Korean official attending the gathering had a positive assessment, saying that the contacts have improved understanding and trust between North Korea and the U.S. He also said he expects further dialogue between the two sides in other formats and through other channels.

Arirang News