The US is willing to hold direct talks with North Korea in order to bring it back to the negotiating table to end its nuclear weapons programme.
US State Department officials would meet bilaterally with Pyongyang in order to "convince North Korea to come back to the six-party process and to take affirmative steps towards denuclearisation," spokesman PJ Crowley told reporters Friday.
Washington was open to talk bilaterally with North Korea, he said, making it clear that such negotiations would be part of the six-party framework, which also include Russia, China, South Korea and Japan.
Crowley said it was unclear when such talks could take place. He did not say whether special envoy Stephen Bosworth might accept an invitation to meet with North Korean officials.
In recent weeks, North Korea has sent positive signals to Washington, telling New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson it would be ready for direct talks.
The Stalinist country said in April it would no longer participate in the six-party talks and kicked out inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency. It conducted its second nuclear test in May.