North Korea did not give a clear signal on resuming the six-way talks in a Monday meeting with the United States in New York.

Kyodo News Agency on Tuesday quoted sources as saying US State Department and the North's United Nations diplomats have maintained phone contact since last month, and that Pyongyang requested the Monday talks.

On May 13th, Pyongyang failed to answer Washington's request via the New York channel to return to the stalled six-way talks.

In Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said he does not yet know of the meeting's results, but that he welcomes such contact if it helps the North to resume the six-way talks.