WASHINGTON, Aug 23: The United States signalled on Friday it was not ruling out the idea that other nations could offer North Korea incentives to halt its nuclear programme, but said Washington would not offer such “rewards”.

The US delegation does not expect quick results from the six-party talks in Beijing starting on Wednesday, but will press for the full, verifiable and irreversible end to Pyongyang’s nuclear arms programme, a senior State Department official said.

It will not go into the talks with “some package of rewards in anticipation of progress”, the official said.

President George Bush has insisted he will not fall prey to what he sees as nuclear “blackmail” by North Korea, arguing it should not expect economic and political rewards for breaking a 1994 anti-nuclear pledge with Washington.

But the official did not categorically rule out the idea that another party to the talks — also including Russia, China, South Korea and Japan — could offer Pyongyang some inducements to halt nuclear development.

“There could be inducements that would really trouble us, there could be suggestions to the North Koreans that would be very positive, things that help North Korea move in positive directions whether it be in the nuclear area or other area.—AFP