Rice welcomes 'positive signals' from N Korea

PARIS: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice welcomed on Sunday "positive signals" from North Korea about its nuclear drive and said the United States expected Pyongyang to quickly shut down its key nuclear reactor.

"We certainly expect them to carry through with their obligations," she said.

North Korea, which tested an atom bomb last year, in February agreed to a breakthrough six-nation deal to shut down its Yongbyon reactor, the source of its weapon-making plutonium, in return for aid and diplomatic benefits.

"I don't know exactly how long it will be because there are actually technical questions that are associated with shutting down the reactors," said Rice.

"But I would say that there are positive signals coming from the North Koreans about their intention to carry forward on their obligations. We will see," she told reporters flying with her to Paris for a conference on the Darfur conflict.

Rice also praised the "good job" done by Christopher Hill, the top US negotiator with North Korea, during a surprise 24-hour visit last week to the communist state to push forward the long-delayed deal to freeze the Yongbyon reactor. 

Hill predicted Saturday that North Korea would shut the reactor within three weeks and that foreign ministers would meet in July to discuss the next steps in disarming Pyongyang.

North Korea hailed Hill's visit as "productive" and the Vienna-based UN International Atomic Energy Agency said it was set to go back to the country on Tuesday more than four years after being kicked out.