WASHINGTON, March 1 (UPI) -- The United States is only interested in negotiations that can lead to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a White House official said.
The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that North Korea placed a moratorium on long-range missile launches, nuclear tests and other nuclear-related material in exchange for food assistance from the United States.
A senior White House official said the North Korean measure was a "pre-step" toward broader multilateral negotiations meant to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
"We were firm that we were only interested in credible negotiations leading to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the senior official said.
The North Koreans also agreed to let U.N. inspectors into the country to monitor a moratorium on uranium enrichment at its Yongbyon facility. The administration official said scheduling that visit was up to the North Koreans.
A South Korean official was quoted by the Yonhap news agency as saying on condition of anonymity that last week's talks between Washington and Pyongyang were a step in the right direction.
"It's like opening the first door" the official said.
Last week's talks were the first since North Korean leader Kim Jong Ill died in December.
