The Bush administration had previously insisted that Pyongyang must verifiably dismantle its nuclear weapons production before it could expect benefits in return from the United States.

A senior administration official indicated on Thursday that some US unspecified measures could be offered to Pyongyang before a final settlement was reached.

"It would not be correct to say that they would have to do everything, before they would hear anything," the official said.

The New York Times quoted other unnamed senior officials as saying that the US team at six-nation crisis talks in Beijing last week told North Korea that Washington could offer intermediate measures like food and aid to reward a change of North Korean behavior.

President George W. Bush has frequently warned he will not submit to what he sees as "blackmail" by buying off Pyongyang's weapons programs, a line which has been seen as precluding any step by step inducements from Washington.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan did not specifically rule out such an approach but said Friday that Pyongyang must act first.

"Nothing can happen until North Korea changes its behavior and begins to take concrete steps to dismantle its nuclear weapons program," said McClellan.

"North Korea must end, verifiably and irreversibly, its nuclear weapons program.

"There is a strong message going to North Korea. North Korea is learning that the international community is not going to reward bad behaviour," he said.

A battle for control of North Korea policy has been raging since the start of the Bush administration in January 2001.

Hawks, seen as well represented in the Pentagon and among Vice President Dick Cheney's aides have argued against any type of concession being granted to North Korea before it has undergone an rigorous inspection process and ended its nuclear crusade.

Other officials in the State Department have argued that Pyongyang must be offered some inducements to shift its position.

A week after the end of the Beijing talks, US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday told North Korea it had no option but to change its stance.

"We will not yield to threats, to blackmail," said Powell in a major speech at the US capital's George Washington University.

"Now is the time for North Korea to alter its behavior, to end its nuclear program in a verifiable manner."

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