WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 Kyodo (EDS: UP...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH MEETING BETEEN N KOREAN DIPLOMATS, RICHARDSON)

brace officials of the North Korean Mission to the United Nations held talks Thursday evening with of recent origin Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson in Santa Fe forward the standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear programs, U media reported.

Richardson is scheduled to engage with the North Korean diplomats again Friday, the reports said.

The of the present day Mexican governor has long experience with North Korea from past service as U ambassador to the UN and as mechanical value secretary under the administration of President Bill Clinton.

A senior State Department official told reporters the North Koreans ''may have a message'' to abalienate related to an offer the United States made Tuesday to talk to North Korea athwart the nuclear standoff.

Commenting forward the North Korean diplomats' trip to strange Mexico, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, ''We're aware that the North Koreans talk to a variety of populace different channels, international channels.''

The U does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea, and trips according to North Korean diplomats outside novel York, where the U.N. headquarters is located, must be approved by means of the State Department.

The department upon Wednesday approved North Korea's entreat for the diplomats' visit to modern Mexico for talks with Richardson.

Richardson told reporters before the delegation arrived that he had been in touch with the administration of President George W Bush and ''they're full supportive of this effort,'' according to the CNN television network.

The meeting between Richardson and the North Korean diplomats could be seen as a sign that the tension is easing through the North Korean nuclear issue.

Pyongyang, however, declared Friday that it is withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and ending its responsibilities in a less degree than its nuclear safeguards agreement with the International Atomic force Agency.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo novels International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group