WASHINGTON, Dec 29: US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Sunday that President Bush had not yet decided to use force against Iraq and was still hoping for a peaceful solution to the crisis.

In a series of interviews to various television networks, Powell said the Bush administration was still “taking prudent actions, positioning our forces so that they (the Iraqis) will be ready to do whatever might be required”.

The secretary also sounded a warning to Baghdad that the standoff cannot “go on indefinitely”, according to an agency version.

“I think that this can’t go on indefinitely,” Powell told NBC’s Meet the Press, adding that the United States would wait to get additional reports from UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix before taking any decisions.

“It’s a situation we are monitoring closely,” he said.

He was supported by US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld who once again said the United States was capable of fighting two major regional conflicts.

Appearing on the Fox News with Powell, Rumsfeld said: “We’re capable of winning decisively in one and swiftly defeating in the case of the other. And let there be no doubt about it.”

Powell said although Iraq had given a list of 500 scientists to UN inspectors, it was not cooperating with the UN team in interviewing the scientists.

The scientists, he said, were brought for interview in places that were bugged and accompanied by minders. This, he said, prevented them from cooperating with the US team.

“That’s why we believe ... such interviews would be better held outside Iraq, and also with protection for their families,” said Powell.

He said Iraq had given the same list that UN inspectors had asked for and met the deadline in providing it.

In another interview, Powell said the United States was willing to talk to North Korea to resolve the crisis over its nuclear weapons programme.

“We have channels open,” Powell said. “We have ways of communicating with North Korea. They know how to contact us.”

Powell said any talks would not reward North Korea’s decision to expel UN nuclear inspectors and reopen a laboratory for the production of plutonium.

“We cannot suddenly say, ‘Gee, we’re so scared. Let’s have a negotiation because we want to appease your misbehaviour’. This kind of action cannot be rewarded. “We are looking for ways to communicate with the North Koreans so some sense can prevail.”

The secretary said the problem was that North Korea was demanding concessions in exchange for ending its nuclear weapons programme.

“What they want is not a discussion.”

“They want us to give them something for them to stop the bad behaviour. What we can’t do is enter into a negotiation right away where we are appeasing them.

“This is a country that’s in desperate condition,” Powell said.

“What are they going to do with another two or three more nuclear weapons when they’re starving, when they have no energy, when they have no economy that’s functioning?”

Powell said the US had no plans to attack North Korea.

“We are not planning a pre-emptive strike,” Powell said. “The United States has a full range of capabilities ... but we are not trying to create a crisis atmosphere at this point by threatening North Korea.”