WASHINGTON, May 2 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States on Monday boasted its deterrent capability over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) after reports that the DPRK test-fired a short-range missile.

    "We have, after all, a very strong alliance with South Korea and a very strong alliance with Japan. And of course the United States maintains significant -- and I want to underline 'significant' -- deterrent capability of all kinds in the Asia-Pacific region," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after talks with French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier.

    "I don't think there should be any doubt about our ability to deter whatever the North Koreans are up to, but that does not mean that it is not a serious problem and that the North Koreans shouldn't come back to the six-party talks," Rice said.

    The test of DPRK's missiles "will at some point have to be a part of the discussions," Rice said.

    "It appears that there was a test of a short-range missile by the North Koreans and it landed in the Sea of Japan. We're not surprised by this. The North Koreans have tested their missiles before, " White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card said in an interview with CNN's "Late Edition." Enditem

US urges DPRK to return to six-party talks

    WASHINGTON, May 2 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday to return to the six-party talks aimed at the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

    "We certainly do want North Korea to return to the table and six-party talks. The failure to do is -- lies on North Korea's shoulders, not on anybody else's. They need to come back, and they need to come back serious about having those talks," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at a briefing.

    "As long as they don't return, more needs to be done, and there are a variety of things we can do to try to encourage them to comeback to talks, and things the Chinese can do," Boucher said.

    China has hosted three rounds of the six-party talks in Beijing.

    Boucher said the United States is still committed to the six-party talks and warned that the DPRK is not going to get anywhere unless it returns to the talks.

    "The six-party talks is a place to solve the nuclear issue, and we're not going to get anywhere unless North Korea is willing to come back and do that. And North Korea is not going to get anywhere unless they're willing to come back and do that," Boucher said. Enditem