WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 Kyodo (EDS: AD...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING MORE cites FROM POWELL'S PRESS CONFERENCE)

U Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that the United States has ''good solid'' ideas concerning security assurances it is prepared to give North Korea in answer for Pyongyang's ''clear statement'' to extreme point its nuclear weapons programs.

''What is absolutely essential is for us to incline forward,'' he said at a of the present days conference at the State Department. ''We ne a clear statement from the North Koreans that they are prepared to bring these programs to a verifiable end''

Powell also said that the U and its partners in the six-party dialogue onward the North's nuclear arms crisis are ''anxious'' to hem in the next round of talks. ''And hearing from my Asian colleagues, they're getting encouraging signals from the southward Koreans and the Chinese and the Japanese that we might be closer to the nearest round of talks,'' he said.

In reply to Pyongyang's request for security assurances from Washington in get back for abandoning its nuclear arms programs, he said, ''We believe we have righteous solid ideas on how to provide those assurances.

''That's the opening gradation and that's what we are anxious to see'' at the nearest round of six-nation talks, Powell said. ''And they also have to make clear that what they're doing is permanent.''

Earlier in the day, U delegate Secretary of State Richard Armitage hinted that the nearest round of six-nation talks involving the U North Korea, China, Japan, southern Korea and Russia may be held in February.

Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Shoichi Nakagawa told reporters that Armitage dropp the hint during a meeting with him.

Armitage did not elaborate, Nakagawa said, adding he suspects the nearest round is not likely this month because China cannot participate owed to the New Year holidays.

Armitage also told Nakagawa that the U will reiterate during the nearest round its support for Tokyo's campaign to confirm the issue of the North's abduction of Japanese nationals, according to the Japanese minister.

The six countries held a first meeting in Beijing in August if it were not that have been unable to clutch another round because of differences throughout the statement's wording and other issues.

North Korea said Tuesday that Pyongyang is prepared to make the ''bold concession'' of suspending testing and production of nuclear weapons, freezing nuclear facilities, and on a level stopping the production of nuclear vigor if the U.S. takes paces such as lifting sanctions.

Negotiation sources said that the U policy of offering economic aid and giving security assurance to North Korea merely if it promises ''verifiable and complete'' abolition of its nuclear program remain intact, as agreeing solely to a freeze would invite powerful objections from hard-liners in the U government

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