The United States said on Monday that it is willing to have direct talks with the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK) only within the framework of multi- party discussions on Pyongyang's nuclear arms program.

"As we've done in the past, our practice has been to meet directly with all parties, including the North Koreans, in the context of the six-party talks," State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.

"If the North Koreans were to return to the talks we'd certainly continue that practice," he said. "But not beforehand."

Casey made the remarks after the DPRK Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Pyongyang has no intention to hold bilateral talks with Washington separate from the framework of the six-party talks on the nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula.

Pyongyang said in a statement that its "will to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and seek a negotiated solution ... still remains unchanged."

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, traveling with President George W. Bush, told CNN in Moscow that Pyongyang must " dismantle their nuclear weapons program as a means by which to enter the international community."

"The United States, of course, recognizes that North Korea is sovereign," Rice said. "The United States has stated repeatedly ... that we have no intention to attack or invade North Korea."

Three rounds of the six-party talks, involving the Republic of Korea, China, Japan and Russia in addition to the US and the DPRK, have been held to try to resolve the nuclear confrontation between the US and the DPRK.

The six-party talks have been stalled since June last year as the DPRK accused the United States of adopting a hostile policy towards Pyongyang.