Seoul, July 13, SPA -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday praised South Korea for getting North Korea to end its 13-month boycott of nuclear disarmament talks by pledging energy aid, and expressed hope for an end to the international standoff with thecommunist nation. The United States and South Korea are "very optimisticthat our joint efforts to improve the security situation onthe Korean Peninsula could indeed bear fruit, although ofcourse there is still much work to be done," Rice saidduring a visit to Seoul. "The agreement of the North Koreans to come back to thetalks is a very good step but only a first step," shesaid, appearing at a news conference with South KoreanForeign Minister Ban Ki-moon. "We look forward to astrategic decision by the North Koreans to abandon theirnuclear weapons." Seoul's new plan to deliver electricity directly to theNorth is "a very creative idea" and "gives anopportunity for the North Koreans to address questions oftheir energy needs," Rice was quoted as saying by The Associated Press on Wednesday. Seoul was the last stop of Rice's Asian tour before herscheduled return to Washington later Wednesday.--SPA1115 Local Time 0815 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/276522