1.   Japanese attendees also quoted Li as saying that North Korea would consider accepting rice from arch-rival South Korea if no conditions were attached.

2.   Japanese attendees also quoted Li as saying that North Korea would consider accepting rice directly from arch-rival South Korea if no conditions were attached.

3.   Li was also quoted as saying his country would consider accepting rice directly from arch-rival South Korea if no conditions were attached.

4.   North Korea accepted rice from both countries, then rebuffed a second shipment from South Korea while accepting another from Tokyo.

5.   North Korea said it would accept rice even from archrival South Korea if no conditions were attached.

6.   North Korea accepted rice from Japan but its talks with the South over new shipments of rice aid failed.

7.   The North insists it will accept the rice only if no conditions are attached.

8.   In January, North Korea said it would no longer accept rice, particularly from South Korea and Japan which it said had politicised the issue of rice aid.

9.   The statement came only hours after a senior North Korean official said Pyongyang would accept rice from South Korea.

10.   Li was quoted as saying further that the North would accept rice even from its rival, South Korea.