US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice denied Friday that the deadlock had been broken in North Korea's nuclear disarmament talks.

"We are not yet at a point where we can make a judgement as to whether or not the North Koreans have met their obligations," Rice said here at a press conference with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"And we are therefore not at a point at which the United States can make a judgement as to whether or not it's time to exercise our obligations."

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North Korea said Wednesday it had reached agreement with the United States on its promised nuclear declaration, an issue that has blocked progress in a six-nation disarmament deal.

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman quoted by state media said the two sides, during talks in Singapore Tuesday, also agreed on "political compensation" from Washington.

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