North Korea far along in missile preparation

BUDAPEST, June 22 (Reuters) North Korea is far along in its preparations for a test of a long-range ballistic missile and the United States hopes the North Koreans will ''give it up and not launch'', a senior US official said today.

White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley told reporters it remained uncertain if North Korea actually planned to conduct a test-firing of the missile, which Washington has warned would be seen as a provocative act.

''I think what we've said publicly is we're watching it very carefully and preparations are very far along. So you could, from a capability standpoint, have a launch. Now what they intend to do ... of course we don't know. What we hope they will do is give it up and not launch,'' he said.

REUTERS SB KP1937