US says N.Korea talks "useful", more planned

BERLIN, Jan 17 (Reuters) US and North Korean negotiators held six hours of ''useful'' talks in Berlin aimed at restarting negotiatons on Pyongyang's nuclear arms programme and more discussions are planned, a senior US official said.

''We anticipate some additional discussions this afternoon and perhaps tomorrow morning,'' US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said today at an event organised by the American Academy.

''You can certainly characterise them as useful discussions,'' he added, noting that Washington wanted a ''normal relationship''with a country President George W Bush has said belongs to an ''axis of evil''.

Hill met his North Korean counterpart, Kim Kye-gwan, in the German capital to explore ways to restart so-called six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Hill said the United States had made clear it had no intention of attacking or invading North Korea and looked forward to dealing with a North Korea free of atomic weapons.

''The North Koreans have to understand that they have come to a crossroads. North Koreans really have to decide if they want nuclear weapons or do they want a place in the international community,'' Hill said.

''We have no animosity towards the North Korean people... We look forward to establishing a normal relationship with North Korea.'' REUTERS MS ND1748