1.   State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, responding to the comment on Wednesday, said U.S. policy all along has been in support of peaceful resolution.

2.   State Department spokesman Philip Reeker, speaking in Washington, said CIA director George Tenet planned to join Albright in Paris.

3.   US state department spokesman Mike McCurry reaffirmed that the agreement to resume the talks was based on assurances from the North Koreans.

4.   State Department spokesman David Johnson said the talks would continue late Friday, but would not say if additional conversations were planned for Saturday.

5.   State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns, speaking for the administration, urged Congress to reconsider the move and allow disbursement of the five million dollars.