Washington, February 14, SPA -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday offered North Korea a peace treaty, normal diplomatic relations, and economic aid if it eliminates its nuclear-weapons program. “If North Korea is genuinely prepared to completely and verifiably eliminate their nuclear-weapons program, the Obama administration will be willing to normalize bilateral relations, replace the peninsula’s long-standing armistice agreements with a permanent peace treaty, and assist in meeting the energy and other economic needs of the North Korean people,” Clinton said in a speech in New York City. Speaking to New York’s Asia Society ahead of a trip to Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and China next week, Clinton also said she hoped North Korea, which is reported to have made preparations for a long-range missile test, would not engage in what she called “provocative” actions that would make it more difficult for Washington to work with Pyongyang. “So much of it depends upon the choices that they make,” she said. Looking for a way to end North Korea’s nuclear programs is likely to be one of the main issues on Clinton’s weeklong visit to Asia, which also will address challenges like the global financial crisis and climate change.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/635274