A senior North Korean diplomat said Tuesday his country is ready to return to six-country talks about Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program -- negotiations it abandoned one year ago.

North Korea's Oct. 9 test of nuclear device  saw the country's isolation in the international increase. But during a visit to Beijing in neighboring China, senior envoy Kim Kye-gwan said his land had "gained a defensive position" the would enable it to return to the bargaining table. Kye-gwan told reporters that his country would accept the "kind invitation" of United States Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill for preparatory meetings. Washington has recently expressed a willingness to discuss financial restrictions against North Korea.

Hill and envoys of South Korea and Japan arrived early this week for bi- and trilateral talks with the North Koreans in China. The six-party talks include the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia.

An agreement on a schedule to resume the six-party talks is expected by the end of the year. US and South Korean officials want to make progress in the implementation of an agreement reached with North Korea  in 2005 in which the country, led by Kim Jong-Il, said it was committed "to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs."