"I think the United States' position as it has been stated by the president ... is that we have no intention of invasion of North Korea and are prepared to say that, as Secretary (of State Colin) Powell has said, in a piece of paper," Bolton told reporters after meeting with Chinese vice foreign ministers.

Asked why Washington's strategy in dealing with Pyongyang, whom it considers a rogue state dangerous to the world like Iraq, was different from its tactics towards Baghdad, Bolton said: "Because North Korea is not Iraq."

"The context is very different. The circumstances are very different and the history has been very different.

"I think President Bush has made clear for quite some time that what we seek here in the case of North Korea is the peaceful dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear weapons program."

WAR.WIRE