President George W. Bush said today the United States would consider a peace treaty with North Korea if it gave up its nuclear weapons programme.
Mr Bush offered the possibility of a treaty at a meeting with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on the eve of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Sydney.
Mr Bush told reporters he would offer a new "security arrangement" for the Korean peninsula if North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il followed through with promises to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme.
But Mr Roh seemed concerned that the comment did not go far enough in making clear this meant a permanent agreement to replace the fraying truce that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. The truce has left the two Koreas, divided by a heavily militarised frontier, technically at war.
Mr Roh leaned over in his chair to prod Mr Bush to be "a little clearer".
"We're looking forward to the day when we can end the Korean War. That will happen when Kim Jong-il verifiably dismantles his weapons programme," a visibly annoyed Mr Bush finally said.
A Chinese spokesman said Mr Roh had raised the issue in a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao earlier in the day and that Beijing had a "positive attitude" toward the prospect of a truce.
Next week, nuclear experts from the United States, China and Russia will visit North Korea to conduct a survey of nuclear facilities to be disabled, US envoy Chris Hill said today.