SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - A North Korean diplomat said the communist country is "ready to deal with" any new U.S. policies following Barack Obama’s election to the presidency as talks continued over dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program.

"We have dealt with various U.S. administrations, including an administration that sought dialogue with us and an administration that attempted to isolate and contain us," said Ri Gun, a North Korean nuclear negotiator.

"Whatever U.S. administration comes forward, we are ready to deal with that administration’s policy" on Pyongyang, he said.

Ri spoke Thursday in New York after a meeting with Sung Kim, the U.S. special envoy to the international negotiations on Pyongyang’s nuclear programs. South Korea’s news channel YTN showed Ri speaking to reporters.

Ri and Kim talked about the next steps in implementing Pyongyang’s pledge to dismantle its nuclear program. The stalled nuclear talks began moving again after Washington removed North Korea from its terrorism blacklist last month as a reward under a disarmament pact.

During his campaign, Obama tried to distance himself from the hard-line policies President George W. Bush adopted in his first term on North Korea’s nuclear weapons. He has emphasized his willingness to continue direct talks with the North - a policy Bush himself has now embraced.