U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in Japan on Wednesday that Washington is ready to remove political sanctions on North Korea in order to move on to the next phase of denuclearization.

Her remarks came as chief U.S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill extended his stay in Beijing this week for further discussions.

“North Korea now needs to file a declaration that can give confidence that we know what we are dealing with going forward. We are ready to discharge our obligations, the United States is ready to discharge its obligations,” Rice said in an interview with Japan’s NHK television.

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