12 January 2004	Monday	19 Ziqa'ad 1424

SEOUL, Jan 11: Two members of a US delegation arrived in South Korea on Sunday, after a surprise inspection of North Korea's nuclear facilities, for further consultations on a lengthy nuclear crisis.

John Lewis, a professor emeritus at Stanford University, and other nuclear specialists have became the first outsiders allowed into North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex since UN inspectors were expelled a year ago.

Two of the group, Keith Luse and Frank Jannuzi, both Senate foreign relations committee aides, flew into Seoul, but they declined to comment on the inspection upon their arrival at the Incheon airport, a photographer said.

The unofficial US delegation is scheduled to meet South Korea's foreign ministry officials on Monday to brief them on the results of their five-day visit to North Korea, news agency Yonhap reported.

Government officials could not be reached for comment. The United States is committed to a fresh round of six-party talks and a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue, US Secretary of State Colin Powell told Japan's NHK national television in an interview broadcast on Sunday.

"President (George W.) Bush, along with the other leaders, is looking for a diplomatic solution, and he has made that clear," Powell said in the interview, conducted early on Saturday. "I believe that is possible."

Powell's comments were dubbed in Japanese. "I am fairly confident that the talks will be held in the not-too-far future," he said.-Reuters