<div><p>North Korea vowed Friday not to abandon its nuclear weapons in return for economic aid, saying the United States should first change its "hostile" policy.</p><p>The North has developed atomic bombs for its own defence, "not to threaten anybody or receive economic favours or rewards", the official Korean Central News Agency said.</p><p>It is a "misjudgement" if the outside world thinks it will dump nuclear bombs in return for economic benefits, the agency added.</p><p>"Unless (the US) terminates its hostile policy and nuclear threats towards our republic, our abandonment of nuclear weapons will not happen even if the earth breaks."</p><p>Diplomatic efforts have intensified to bring the communist state back to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, and there have been reports that China is offering aid as an inducement.</p><p>Chinese and North Korean negotiators held several days of talks in Beijing last week about restarting the forum, which the North quit last April.</p><p>The two sides also discussed possible economic assistance, South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported.</p><p>But media reports said Pyongyang refused to ease its terms for coming back: a lifting of sanctions and a US commitment to discuss a formal peace treaty.</p><p>Some analysts believe the North will eventually feel obliged to return to negotiations given its worsening economy and acute food shortages.</p><p>Yonhap said this week that Beijing is discussing a deal under which it would help Pyongyang obtain more than 10 billion dollars in investment from Chinese banks and multinational firms.</p><p>Some South Korean officials have cast doubt on the reported size of the deal, given the limited capacity of the North's ailing economy.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=69686382&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>
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