"I'm considerably more optimistic than when I left Beijing a few days ago. I had extremely serious, professional, substantive and valuable talks with my North Korean interlocutors," Lantos, a Democratic Representative from California, told reporters at a briefing in Beijing.

The US lawmaker, who was in North Korea from Saturday, met Supreme People's Assembly vice president Yang Hyong Sop, Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan and foreign ministry director-general Li Gun.

"My message to the North Korean leadership was clear -- it is in the interest of North Korea to return to the six-party talks without any delay," Lantos said.

He described the tone of the meetings as ranging from professional to cordial.

"I made it clear to my North Korean hosts that we have a proposal on the table, and that proposal is supported by the Congress and is not just an administration proposal," he said.

North Korea has taken part in three rounds of six-way negotiations, which also include South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States and which are aimed at curbing its nuclear weapons program.

It boycotted a fourth round scheduled for Beijing in September last year, citing what it called hostile US policy.

Lantos said the North Korean leadership had indicated its support for a new round of six-party talks but was "waiting to see the shape of the second Bush administration before committing to a return to the table."

"The composition of the US administration should be evident by now," said Lantos, architect of the controversial North Korean Human Rights Act, a program which sets aside money to help North Korean refugees.

"There is no conceivable reason for anyone to expect a significant change on US policy towards the Korean peninsula," he said.

"I told the North Koreans that contrary to their repeated statements our administration and our Congress has no hostile intent towards North Korea, instead we remain prepared to negotiate a comprehensive and verifiable deal." with the North," he said.

Tensions between North Korea and the United States increased when a standoff erupted in October 2002 over Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

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