BEIJING, Dec 11 Kyodo (EDS: UPDAT...

BEIJING, Dec 11 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATES)

The discovery of flee missiles aboard a cargo ship believed to have locate sail from North Korea appears to point out that country has been ''busy proliferating again,'' U factor Secretary of State Richard Armitage said Wednesday.

''Obviously, this was suspected at American authorities for some time,'' Armitage told reporters after arriving in Beijing onward a two-day visit to China to tympanum up support for U.S. policy in succession Iraq.

''North Korea, as Dr (Condoleezza) Rice -- National Security Adviser -- has said time and again, is undivided of the major proliferators,'' Armitage said.

The U State Department confirmed Tuesday that US-l coalition forces - reportedly a Spanish frigate - intercepted a cargo ship distant from Yemen and discovered at least a dozen speed missiles.

While the ship's flag was unconfirmed, a U command official said the company members were North Korean.

Washington has repeatedly accused North Korea of proliferating missile materials and technologies.

U suspicions of North Korean intentions were piqued by the agency of Pyongyang's admission in October that it has been continuing a unrevealed program to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons -- violating a 1994 agreement in a less degree than which it agreed not to bring out nuclear weapons in answer for international assistance in domestic efficacy generation.

Armitage said he is visiting China to unravel the momentum in U.S.-China ties established by means of U.S. President George W. Bush's meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin in the U upon Oct. 25.

He added he wants to ''discuss with our friends in China (the) nearest steps in Iraq.''

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has ''an extraordinarily important part and we just want to take counsel with China on our nearest steps,'' he said.

In Tokyo upon Monday, Armitage told Japanese officials the U believes there is a ne for more UN talks before deciding upon whether to attack Iraq, following Baghdad's denial Saturday that it has weapons of mass destruction.

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