The US has been in direct touch with North Korea ahead of the resumption at the end of this month of six-party nuclear talks, the chief American negotiator said.

Christopher Hill said he had contacted North Korea through a diplomatic channel at the UN.

"I sent word through the New York channel to North Korea to suggest we should be in touch if there are issues they would like to raise and that I would be ready to be in touch."

Hill also said that he hoped to meet Japanese, Chinese and South Korean envoys next week in Washington, before heading back to the talks, currently in a three-week recess in Beijing.

The State Department meanwhile said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon in Washington next week to discuss efforts to halt North Korea's nuclear program.

Hill also said he would telephone his Russian counterpart at the talks.

During an appearance organized by the Asia Society, Hill repeated his hope first expressed last week that a statement of principles between the parties could be wrapped up as early as September, allowing a crisis-ending deal to follow quickly.

"If we can agree on what the sign posts are going to be ... we can put together an agreement -- perhaps later in September, October at the very latest -- because we really would like to keep the momentum going."

Hill also warmly praised China's role in facilitating the talks, due to resume on an as yet unspecified day during the week of August 29, saying once testy Sino-US ties had now reached maturity.

"I give the Chinese a lot of credit for this ... we have really found ways to communicate and found ways to cooperate."

Hill also warned that North Korea should expect increasing scrutiny of its human rights record, should it conclude its best interests lie in making a deal to end its nuclear programs and opening up to the world.

"If North Korea wants to enter the international arena and wants to be a participant it's got to begin to consider the cost of admission, and part of the cost is that your human rights record will be looked at."

"It is simply a fact that, if you're going to be in the international community, you've got to subscribe to certain rules of the game, rules of the club."

(Chinadaily.com.cn via agencies, August 18, 2005)