Washington, JULY 4, SPA -- The White House on Monday dismissed North Korea’s threat of a nuclear strike in the event of a U.S. attack as “deeply hypothetical” and urged Pyongyang to rejoin six-nation nuclear negotiations. North Korea vowed earlier Monday to counter any strike by the United States with its “mighty nuclear deterrent,” accusing Washington of raising tension on the Korean peninsula. “It is a statement about what may happen if something that hasn’t happened, happened,” White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters. “It is still deeply hypothetical.” Since November, North Korea has boycotted six-nation talks on ending its drive for nuclear weapons, saying it will only return to the talks after the United States lifts financial sanctions. Snow reiterated that North Korea should resume negotiations with South Korea, China, Japan, the United States, and Russia. “The strong preference of the United States and the other parties in the six-party talks other than North Korea is for North Korea to rejoin the talks, to sit down at the table,” he said.--SPA 04/07/2006 11:54 ت م www.spa.gov.sa/373187