The United States has reiterated that it does not want to engage in dialogue with North Korea merely for the sake of holding talks.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters Tuesday that the U.S. believes serious negotiations must be at the heart of a strategy for dealing with North Korea.

He said that although the U.S. has made it clear that it is open to dialogue with Pyongyang, the U.S. has to be assured that such dialogue would be constructive.

Crowley then said that the U.S. wants to see specific actions by North Korea, including a reduction of tensions with the South, an end to provocations, and a seriousness of purpose with respect to the obligations it made in the 2005 September Joint Statement.

Crowley’s remarks came as U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth arrived in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss ways to resume the six-party nuclear talks.