US urges North Korea to return to nuclear talks

Seoul: A senior American diplomat warned North Korea on Wednesday that its nuclear test, barrage of short-range missiles and preparations for a long-range missile launch have put it on the wrong path.

He urged the communist regime to return to disarmament talks.

Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg said he and a team of high-ranking officials were in Asia to send a clear message to North Korea that the US and its allies stand united on the need for nuclear disarmament.

North Korea must "reverse its course on its nuclear programme and then return to the path of denuclearisation that we have agreed on," he said at the start of talks with South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak.

The envoys' trip to Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing comes amid heightened tensions over North Korea's underground nuclear test last Monday and reports the regime is preparing to test-fire a long-range missile as well as an array of medium-range missiles.