The Associated Press reports that China and the United States are in disagreement over their assessments of North Korea's nuclear capabilities.

The report, quoting a U.S. official, said Friday that the dispute could give the North Koreans a diplomatic boost in six-nation nuclear talks scheduled for later this month.

The official said China has refused to accept the U.S. contention that North Korea is developing nuclear weapons based on highly enriched uranium. The administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, added U.S. diplomats have told Beijing that such a position by China is not helpful.

The Bush administration says that intelligence information confirmed the existence of North Korea's uranium-based nuclear weapons program in 2002. The U.S. also insists that a senior North Korean official acknowledged its existence in October of that year during a meeting with American diplomats.

But North Korea denies making such a statement. Pyongyang has publically acknowledged having only a plutonium-based nuclear weapons development program.