Former US president Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea and met its reclusive leader on Tuesday to try to win the freedom of two jailed American journalists in a move that could re-energise nuclear talks. Clinton had what North Korea’s KCNA news agency described as an “exhaustive conversation” over dinner with the ailing Kim Jong-il and top North Korean officials.

Confusion rose quickly about the delicate diplomatic negotiations he was engaged in. The North Korean news agency said Clinton passed on a verbal message from US President Barack Obama. “Kim Jong-il expressed thanks for this,” KCNA said with regard to the message. “He welcomed Clinton’s visit to the DPRK (North Korea) and had an exhaustive conversation with him. There was a wide-ranging exchange of views on the matters of common concern.” But the White House denied Clinton carried a message from Obama. “That’s not true,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Clinton’s objective was to gain the release of two journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling of the US media outlet Current TV co-founded by Clinton’s Vice-President Al Gore. They were arrested on the North Korea-China border in March and accused of illegal entry. A North Korean court sentenced both of them last month to 12 years hard labor for what it called grave crimes.

The White House described Clinton’s visit as private. “While this solely private mission to secure the release of two Americans is on the ground, we will have no comment. We do not want to jeopardise the success of former president Clinton’s mission,” Gibbs said in a statement.

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