U.S. nuclear envoy says financial dispute with North Korea resolved

BEIJING (AP) - The top U.S. nuclear envoy said today he feels a dispute over North Korean funds held in Macau that had possibly threatened international efforts to rid Pyongyang of its nuclear weapons has been resolved.

Washington promised to resolve its blacklisting of the Banco Delta Asia and the freezing of US$24 million in North Korean deposits as an inducement to Pyongyang to rejoin international talks on its nuclear ambitions. A U.S. Treasury Department decision Wednesday ordering U.S. banks to sever ties with Banco Delta Asia appeared to fall short of expectations.

But U.S. assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill said he was confident North Korea will fulfil its obligations to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for energy aid and political concessions.

"I think they want assurances that the Banco Delta Asia issue is resolved and we can give them those assurances that it is resolved."

© The Canadian Press, 2007