SINGAPORE (AP): Asia-Pacific nations called for an ``effective'' plan to verify North Korea's declaration of its nuclear programs, backing away from an earlier recommendation that would have pushed for active involvement by the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Earlier this month, North Korea was given a blueprint detailing how the international community would verify a long-delayed list of its nuclear programs _ a step toward eventual dismantlement. That proposal called for intrusive inspections, interviews with scientists and a role for the International Atomic Energy Agency.

North Korea raised some preliminary objections but made no formal response to the proposal.

A draft of the statement issued by Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Regional Forum called for the IAEA to play a ``leading'' role in verifying Pyongyang's nuclear accounting.

But the actual statement issued by the foreign ministers Thursday, several hours later than scheduled, made no mention of the nuclear watchdog and only called for an ``an effective verification and monitoring mechanism.''

The draft, written by officials from the forum's member countries, was seen as an unusually strong message because the negotiations directly handling the nuclear standoff produced a statement earlier this month that only said the IAEA may be involved if necessary.

The IAEA's involvement, if accepted by North Korea's communist government, would give backbone to efforts to permanently strip the North of its nuclear programs.

Officials involved in drafting the statement did not immediately comment on why the statement was toned down.