The United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have begun discussions aimed at holding a second round of six-way talks over Pyongyang's nuclear program in Beijing in early December, a Japanese newspaper reported Monday.

The Asahi Shimbun, quoting "a source close to US-DPRK relations," said officials from the two countries met in New York on Friday and agreed to meet again.

The DPRK said on Saturday that it was prepared to consider a US offer of security guarantees in return for stopping its nuclear program.

But Pyongyang also said it was too early to assume that more multilateral talks would be held until it had assessed Washington's intentions through diplomatic channels.

US President George W. Bush offered Pyongyang unspecified security assurances for the first time last week but ruled out meeting its demand for a non-aggression treaty.

The Asahi Shimbun said that in Friday's meeting, US officials explained the security assurances to the DPRK by repeating Bush's remarks.

The DPRK side replied by saying they were interested in the proposal for written security assurances and asked for a more detailed explanation, the newspaper said.

The DPRK had questions about what kind of wording was being considered, at what point such security assurances may be put in writing if it agreed to abandon its nuclear program, and how the document may be exchanged within the six-way talks, the newspaper said.

(People's Daily October 28, 2003)