BEIJING, June 23: The United States tabled a new proposal on the opening day of six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear drive Wednesday, which could include taking Pyongyang of its list of terrorist states.

Four days of talks got underway at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse with the United States announcing the first significant overture to North Korea since George W. Bush took office three years ago and placed Pyongyang on his "axis of evil".

"We're prepared for serious discussions, and we have a proposal to offer," said James Kelly in his opening remarks to the talks that also involve China, Japanm South Korea and Russia.

A senior US official later said that under the plan, aid would flow immediately after a commitment by North Korea to dismantle its plutonium and uranium weapons programs.

Nations other than the United States would be given the go-ahead to start sending heavy fuel oil while Washington would offer a "provisional" guarantee not to invade the country, he said.

The US would also begin direct talks about lifting an array of American economic sanctions, and knocking North Korea off its list of terrorist states. "We would look at their energy needs, look at their concerns on sanctions, their concerns of being on the list of terrorist states," the official said.

"We want to make clear we will ask the DPRK a number of things that will involve a temporary period, or a three month preparatory period, for the dismantlement and removal of all their nuclear programs.

"During this phase we would require the DPRK to give a full listing of its nuclear activities." South Korea's head envoy Lee Soo-Hyuck told reporters that North Korea's chief delegate Kim Kye-Gwan had no immediate reaction to the "first concrete" US plan. -AFP