BEIJING, March 14 (Reuters) - North Korea is positive about returning to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday.

IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei was speaking after a trip to North Korea which he described as "quite useful".

"It is in the interests of North Korea to normalise relations with the IAEA," he told a news conference. "... We cleared the air. We opened the door for a normal relationship."

He said North Korea remained committed to the Feb. 13 agreement reached at six-party talks grouping the two Koreas, Russia, Japan, the United States and host China. The deal aims to put an end to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme.

AlertNet news is provided by