South and North Korea talk nuclear On July 23, 2011

The US Secretary of State has told her counterparts from across the Asia and Pacific that she was encouraged by rare talks on Friday between the top nuclear envoys from North and South Korea.

The pair met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Bali and was the first time the two countries have held talks on nuclear issues outside a six-nation format.

Speaking in Bali, Hillary Clinton also urged North Korea to stop taking provocative actions and instead take steps towards denuclearisation and meeting its obligations under previous agreements and UN resolutions.

"We are encouraged by the recent North-South meeting that took place on the margins of the ASEAN Regional Forum, but we remain firm that in order for six-party talks to resume, North Korea must take steps to improve North-South relations," she said.

North Korea pulled out of the talks in 2009, and staged its second nuclear test a month later.