"I think we need to go back. The sooner, again, we go back, the better," ElBaradei told CNN

North Korea is at odds with the United States and international community since the Stalinist state admitted a year ago to running a secret uranium-enrichment program in violation of a 1994 accord.

Following North Korea's decision last year to expel international inspectors, the United States deems all nuclear facilities in that country to be "unsafeguarded."

"How we handle the North Korean situation will be an important precedent and the best way is for North Korea to accept comprehensive verification, dismantlement of the nuclear weapons program and in return get security assurance that they badly need," ElBaradei said.

In return, the international community would look at North Korea's humanitarian and energy needs -- "badly needed in a country that is suffering from famine at this stage," he said.

Talks in Beijing in August brought together the United States, China, Japan, Russia and North and South Korea, but ended without agreement and with no date fixed for a second round.

The neighboring countries have tried to convince North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program.

WAR.WIRE