U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says North Korea's release of two American journalists on Wednesday is a separate issue from denuclearization talks.

Visiting Kenya's capital of Nairobi on Wednesday, she also denied that her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, apologized to leader Kim Jong-il in order to secure the journalists’ release during his visit to Pyongyang earlier in the day.

She said the U.S. has always considered the detainees a separate issue from efforts to reengage the North Koreans regarding the six-party talks.

She said the future of bilateral relations is up to the North Koreans, adding that Pyongyang can continue to follow a path filled with provocative actions that further isolate them from the rest of the world or they can decide to return to the negotiating table.