A North Korean diplomat said the communist country is "ready to deal with'' any new U.S. policies following Barack Obama's election to the presidency as talks continued over dismantlement of its nuclear weapons programme. "We have dealt with various U.S. administrations, including an administration that sought dialogue with us and an administration that attempted to isolate and contain us,'' said Ri Gun, a North Korean nuclear negotiator. "Whatever U.S. administration comes forward, we are ready to deal with that administration's policy'' on Pyongyang, he said. Ri spoke Thursday in New York after a meeting with Sung Kim, the U.S. special envoy to the international negotiations on Pyongyang's nuclear programmes. South Korea's news channel YTN showed Ri speaking to reporters.