US Under-secretary of State John Bolton’s chances of winning Senate approval to be UN ambassador appeared to brighten as Republican fence-sitters drifted in his direction.

The US is seeking backing from allies in a possible bid to oust the head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency perhaps as early as at the end of the month, diplomats said today.

British and United States officials are due to meet senior United Nations experts in Vienna on Monday to co-ordinate efforts to ensure Libya honours it nuclear disarmament pledges.

North Korea today said it has no intention of making nuclear weapons and repeated Pyongyang’s position that the stand-off can be resolved through dialogue with the US, officials said.