The U.S. State Department says it hasn't made any decisions regarding the six-party nuclear talks or nutritional assistance to North Korea following last week's high-level talks between the U.S. and the North.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters on Monday, local time, that no decision has been made on either issue following the talks in Beijing. She said Washington and Pyongyang did make "some moderate, modest progress" on the nuclear issue and on inter-Korean relations, both of which she called "absolutely vital" if North Korea wants to resume the six-way talks.

Nuland also said the North raised the issue of food assistance during the high-level talks as it always does. She stressed the U.S. does not link food aid with denuclearization and no deal was struck with North Korea in this regard.