Instead of a strong statement, the council was expected to make only a brief comment that would not deal substantively with the impasse over Pyongyang's nuclear issue, the envoys said.

The United States -- which has 37,000 troops in the Republic of Korea (ROK) -- said it has no intention of attacking Pyongyang. But it has also rejected bilateral talks.

The United States and ROK agreed yesterday to move a sprawling garrison in central Seoul outside the capital as soon as possible, as part of realignment of the 37,000-strong US troop contingent in ROK.

But with tensions rising on the peninsula over DPRK's suspected nuclear aims, they put off talks on the more controversial idea of cutting US troop numbers and shifting some US forces away from the border with DPRK.

Washington would seek a realignment of its troops, but within a framework that did not weaken its role as a deterrent force against DPRK, said Richard Lawless, US deputy assistant defence secretary for East Asia, who co-chaired the talks on the ROK-US military alliance.

"Both agreed on the need to adapt the alliance to the new global security environment," a joint statement said after an initial two-day meeting. "The two sides agreed that there would be no compromise in the combined deterrence of their forces throughout the process of realignment."

According to the presidential spokeswoman yesterday, ROK President Roh Moo-hyun will visit the United States for the first time next month, with DPRK's suspected nuclear arms program set to dominate talks. During the May 11 through 16 trip, Roh will meet US President George W. Bush and other US officials to discuss DPRK and measures to improve bilateral ties, Blue House spokeswoman Song Kyoung-hee told a news conference.

Roh, a former human rights lawyer who took up office as president in February, was elected on a populist platform after vowing a more equal relationship with Washington. He has never visited the United States.

(China Daily April 10, 2003)