The U.S. says that reopening the six-way nuclear dialogue will take more time, despite the positive results of the U.S.-North Korea high-level talks in Beijing last week.

A U.S. State Department official said that rather than just resuming the six-party nuclear talks, the U.S. wants to take strategies that will produce concrete, tangible results.

The official predicted a bumpy road in discussions with North Korea over the order of the North's moratorium on its uranium enrichment program, the return of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and the provision of food aid to the poverty-stricken communist country.

Another department official said that the promised 240-thousand tons of food aid will be sent to North Korea over the next 12 months. He added that a specific amount of food aid will regularly be shipped each month and the U.S. is ready to meet with North Korea to hold follow-up discussions on aid details.

U.S. State Secretary Hilary Clinton said that North Korea’s promise to put a moratorium on its uranium enrichment program is a first small step toward peace.