New Mexico ? Gov. Bill Richardson said Wednesday that his meeting with North Korean diplomats offered a “hopeful sign” of improving relations with the reclusive nation, which reiterated its desire for direct talks with the United States.

The Democratic governor said he had “productive talks” with a pair of representatives from the North Korean mission to the United Nations.

“The delegation indicated that North Korea is ready for a new dialogue with the United States regarding the nuclear issue,” Richardson said in a statement. “The question is whether to proceed with face-to-face bilateral talks, as the North Koreans prefer, or to utilize the six-party framework that the United States has advocated. The North Koreans clearly want bilateral talks and not the six-party framework.”