A diplomatic source here said Monday. North Korea delivered its intent in March to resume missile talks with the United States after the George W. Bush administration finishes its review of the socialist country via Sweden, the rotating chairing country of the European Union.

The source said, "According to my information, the North's Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su-hon, who visited Sweden on March 22-23, informed the EU member country of an intent to resume the suspended missile talks with Washington."

He also said, "The North is showing strong resistance to the new U.S. government's hardline policy toward them, but does not completely exclude the chances of restarting missile talks with the United States."

Meanwhile, Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson will visit Pyongyang Wednesday-Thursday, as the first head of state from a western country to meet North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-il, and then will fly to Seoul for a summit with President Kim Dae-jung.