By Calvin Sims

Tokyo - The crisis over a possible long-range missile test by North Korea appeared to be easing Wednesday, after the Communist government said that it was ready to negotiate with "hostile nations" like the United States, Japan and South Korea, which have adamantly opposed the missile launch. In a statement carried by North Korea's foreign news agency, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said: "As regards the missile issue, we are always ready for negotiation if the hostile nations honestly ask for it out of an intention to alleviate our concern." The statement was the first conciliatory gesture by North Korea in a tense, month-long conflict in which the United States, Japan, and South Korea threatened to cut off all foreign aid and remittances if North Korea proceeded with the test.

James Rubin, the State Department spokesman, responded to the statement by saying, "We've seen a number of statements that have hopeful elements to it, but we're in the business of focusing on commitments made through the formal diplomatic process." Intelligence officials have said that the missile North Korea plans to test-fire was an advanced version of the Taepodong rocket it launched last year. The new Taepodong II has greater accuracy and range and could theoretically reach Alaska or Hawaii, they said. While some Western and Asian embassy officials in Japan and South Korea said the statement paves the way for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, others warned against reading too much into it. "The missile crisis doesn't appear to be worsening, but we still have a long way to go before it's over," said a South Korean diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Some diplomats said that it was futile to interpret such statements by North Korea as having any meaning. "This is a very dangerous country that makes a promise not to do something one day, and totally reneges the next," said a Western diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The first sign that North Korea might be softening its position came on Monday when CNN reported that officials close to North Korea's dictator Kim Jong Il had expressed optimism that a diplomatic solution could be reached. "If the visitor comes and offers us a cake, we'll respond with a cake," CNN quoted Kim Yong Sun, a secretary of Pyongyang's Korea Workers Party, as saying. "But if somebody comes with a sword or knife, we'll respond with a knife." The United States and South Korea have been conducting joint military operations near the heavily fortified border with North Korea. North Korea has warned the drills could lead to war.

In its statement Wednesday, North Korea said that it has been compelled to develop missiles because the United States keeps troops and weapons in South Korea and still harbors intentions to invade the North. U.S. officials have said that North Korea, which is in dire financial straits and suffering from widespread famine, is using the missile test threat to gain economic aid and concessions. The officials said the Clinton administration has proposed lifting an embargo on trade between the two countries in exchange for a moratorium on missile tests. The United States has also proposed increased relief aid and the possibility of eventually releasing some frozen North Korean assets, the officials said. Still, some foreign ministry officials in Japan and South Korea expressed doubt that North Korea would walk away from a fight so easily. "This missile is one of the last few leverages Pyongyang has to negotiate with foreign countries," one official said.