U.S. rejects direct talks

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States pushed China on Sunday to apply more pressure on North Korea to end its missile tests and return to international nuclear disarmament talks. A top diplomat said the aim is to show that Kim Jong Il's government has "no support in the world."
Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns also indicated the United States would not grant North Korea the direct talks it is seeking in the wake of its test-firing of seven missiles, including some that possibly could reach the American continent. President Bush has opposed one-on-one talks, too.
"We really don't see the logic of turning this into a test of wills between two countries -- the United States and North Korea," Burns said.
The diplomatic goal is to compel North Korea to return to stalled six-nation talks aimed at ridding the reclusive communist-led nation of its nuclear weapons program, Burns said.