US queries North Korean nuclear report

North Korea has not provided a full account of its nuclear programme despite Pyongyang's statement asserting it has made a declaration required under a disarmament deal, US officials said today.

"Unfortunately, we have not yet received a complete and correct declaration, and we urge North Korea to deliver one soon, so that we can all get the benefits offered in the six-party process," the White House said today.

North Korea said it had given an account of its nuclear arms programme as required in an international disarmament deal, while separately threatening to boost "war deterrent".

"We have already drawn up a nuclear report in November and have notified the United States of it," the North's KCNA news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.

"(We) had a sufficient consultation with the US side after receiving a request from it to have further discussion on the contents of the report," KCNA reported.

Under the deal, the North was also required to begin taking apart its nuclear plant that produces plutonium for weapons in exchange for a million tonnes of heavy fuel oil or equivalent aid and a removal from a US terrorism blacklist.

The North was required to answer US suspicions of having a secret programme to enrich uranium for weapons.

North Korea blamed the United States for delaying the deal by not taking it off the terrorism list.

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