Kim Jong-il, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DRPK) has asked his aides to arrange a meeting with a high-ranking US official, possibly President Bush, a Republic of Korea (ROK) news agency reported on Friday.

The Yonhap news agency said Kim told his Foreign Ministry to set up a visit to the DPRK by a prominent US figure, specifically mentioning President George W. Bush, his father former President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as possibilities. The report cited an anonymous source familiar with DPRK affairs.

Officials at the ROK Unification Ministry and Foreign Ministry could not confirm the report.

The DPRK has long tried to engage the United States in bilateral talks.

In October 2000, then-US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited Pyongyang and met the DPRK leader.

However, on Thursday, DPRK Deputy Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon said the United States should give the DPRK civilian nuclear reactors "as soon as possible" to show that Washington recognizes Pyongyang's right to peaceful nuclear activity.

But Choe, in an address to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, did not appear to link the provision of reactors to its obligations under a landmark deal to give up its nuclear weapons programme.

In the agreement, struck on Monday in Beijing between the DPRK and the ROK, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, Pyongyang agreed to give up its nuclear weapons programmes in exchange for aid, security guarantees and increased diplomatic recognition.

However, Pyongyang on Tuesday vowed to keep its weapons until Washington provided energy-producing civilian reactors.

"What is most essential at this stage is for the United States to present light water reactors to the DPRK as soon as possible, as evidence proving the former's substantial recognition of the latter's right to peaceful nuclear activities," Choe said in his speech.

He added: "As already clarified more than once, there will be no need for the DPRK to keep a single nuclear weapon if DPRK-US relations are normalized, bilateral confidence is built and the DPRK is not exposed to the US nuclear threat any longer."

Choe seemed to be saying that his government would consider the provision of the light-water reactors in determining its own actions under the deal reached in Beijing. But he did not say the deal was conditional on providing of the reactors.

"We will watch closely how the United States will move in actuality during the phase of 'action for action,'" he said.

The DPRK's ultimate goal, he said, had always been "to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula by all means."

"The government of our republic will continue its best endeavour with patience for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he said.

The joint statement issued in Beijing "reflects our principled positions on the resolution of the nuclear issue and at the same time clearly specifies the obligations of the United States and the ROK," he said.

Source: China Daily