U.S., N. Korea See Gains on Nuclear Issue

WASHINGTON —  The United States and North Korea both reported progress Thursday in their dispute over the Pyongyang government’s nuclear weapons capability.

The comments were the most promising sign yet that a peaceful resolution may be possible in a conflict seen by some as the most dangerous international issue facing President Clinton.

The CIA believes that the North Koreans have one or two atomic bombs, although there is disagreement over whether they can deliver the weapons.

State Department spokesman David Johnson reported that the Administration has “moved closer” to meeting its objectives in talks with North Korea.

In Pyongyang, an unidentified Foreign Ministry official was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying that a meeting Wednesday at the United Nations led to a “breakthrough.”