US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that the Bush administration will not sign a nonaggression pact with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Powell said the Bush administration may consider issuing other types of security guarantees in a bid to end the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear program.

"What we have said is there should be ways to capture assurances to the North Koreans from not only the United States, but we believe from other parties in the region that there is no hostile intent among the parties that might be participating in such a discussion," Powell said.

"When one comes up with such a document, such a written assurance, there are ways that Congress can take note of it without it being a treaty or some kind of pact," he said.

The DPRK has listed a nonaggression pact as one of its key conditions for ending the nuclear standoff with the United States, but the Bush administration has consistently said it will not sign such a treaty.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2003)