US Secretary of State Colin Powell pressed North Korea yesterday to return to nuclear disarmament talks even as he branded the communist country a "terrorist state" that has "no respect for human rights." Powell's strong comments came after North Korea accused the United States of "evermore hostile acts," including US participation in a multinational naval exercise set to begin today off the Japanese coast. The maneuvers are part of an effort to curb the smuggling of missiles and nuclear technology on the high seas.North Korea dominated Powell's discussions in Japan with Prime Minister Junichiro and other officials. Later, Powell flew to China where he planned talks today with President Hu Jintao on North Korea, Taiwan and other issues. Powell's final stop during his trip to East Asia will be South Korea. At a news conference, Powell gave assurances that US President George W. Bush is seeking a peaceful solution to the impasse over North Korea's nuclear weapons programs. The United States wants the permanent dismantling of these programs. Three meetings involving the United States, the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia have been held in China, with little evidence of progress.