North Korea yesterday said it wanted talks with the US about its nuclear weapons programme but only if Washington softened its hostile stance. The comments signalled North Korea's desire to use its nuclear capabilities as a bargaining tool in negotiations with the US. However, James Kelly, US undersecretary of state, said there would be no talks until North Korea "verifiably" scrapped its weapons programme. Washington has warned there will be "no replay" of 1994, when the US offered billions of dollars of energy aid in return for North Korea halting weapons development. North Korea's stance means it remains on a...